


The Dramas of a Pokemon Journey: Kanto

by walleye26



Series: Dramas of a Pokemon Journey [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Total Drama
Genre: Amy's a crazy bitch - Freeform, Dave is a jerk, Elite League of Bug Catchers, Gen, Scarlett is lonely, Shameless use of a Beedrill swarm as a plot device, seriously she needs therapy or something - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-15
Updated: 2015-01-01
Packaged: 2018-02-08 22:39:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1958766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/walleye26/pseuds/walleye26
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>New trainer Sammy Hill is finally free from Amy's wrath and ready to see what the Kanto region has to offer. Along the way she'll make friends, enemies, and discover what it's like to be your own person. It won't be easy with all the battles, romance, evil twin sisters, and DRAMA! So join Sammy for this ride of epic proportions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Finally Free Pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sammy Hill lives in Pallet Town with her abusive twin sister and ignorant parents. But everything is about to change as she is now allowed to travel the Kanto region with her starter Pokémon.

***super-fast music from the X and Y theme song, but with the original lyrics***  
Sammy awkwardly waves, looking over her shoulder nervously.  
 **I want to be the very best, like no one ever was.**  
An Eevee jumps onto her shoulder.  
 **To catch them is my real test.**  
A Pokéball hits a Clefairy and opens up.  
 **To train them is my cause.**  
The silhouettes of the eight Gym Leaders appear.  
 **Pokémon! Gotta catch ‘em all!**  
Topher throws out a Pokéball.  
 **It’s you and me!**  
Dave gets blasted by his Charmander’s fire.  
 **Pokémon! I know it’s my destiny!**  
A Bulbasaur slams into a Rattata.  
 **Pokémon! Yeah, you’re my best friend…**  
Ella tries to sing to Sugar, but gets pushed away.  
 **…in a world we must defend!**  
Leonard, Sugar, and Max glare menacingly.  
 **Pokémon! Gotta catch ‘em all!**  
Amy watches Sammy angrily.  
 **Pokémon!**

Sammy Hill, not Samey Hill, couldn't believe what day it was. The day she had been dreaming of was finally here. The day she could finally leave the small settlement known as Pallet Town and travel the Kanto region. She would get to see the world and many of the people and Pokémon that inhabited it. And as an added bonus, not that she’d ever say it out loud for fear of retribution, she would get to leave behind her twin sister Amy.

Sammy brushed her shoulder-length blonde hair for the hundredth time that morning. There was something missing…

“SAMEY!” A voice screamed from the room at the top of the house. “GET YOUR BUTT UP HERE!”

Sammy sighed sadly. It was her sister Amy. She put on her green tennis shoes, jean shorts and pink T-shirt, grabbed the Pokéball containing her beloved Pokémon, and headed upstairs. Sammy’s room was in the basement, due to the Hills’ house not having enough rooms for more than one child. Amy had gotten the top floor as soon as she could push Sammy out of the nursery they had once shared. Sammy didn't really mind though. The basement was finished and nobody ever really bothered her, save for Amy.

Speaking of Amy…the she-devil was sitting at the kitchen table, still in her pajamas, eating a bowl of Sammy’s favorite cereal. Amy didn't really like the sugary flakes, but this was the last of the cereal, which meant Samey couldn't have any.

“What do you need?” Sammy asked politely, knowing that if she wasn’t careful her sister could put an end to her journey.

“Where is my first place medal I won in the Jump Pokéathlon last month?” Amy asked. Sammy raised an eyebrow. She didn't even know Amy had competed in the Pokéathlon recently. The Pokéathlon was an athletic competition involving the Trainer and Pokémon working together to score the most points or the best time. Amy had been a natural at it, and made sure her sister knew all about the awards she had won.

“I’m not sure,” Sammy replied worriedly. “Where did you last have it?”

Amy’s eyes narrowed. “If I knew that, I wouldn't be asking you. MOM! DAD! SAMEY STOLE MY MEDAL!” Mr. and Mrs. Hill entered the kitchen from their bedroom. They both glared at their daughters.

“Samey, are you sure you don’t know where Amy’s medal is?” Asked their mother.

“I really don’t,” Sammy said honestly. She didn’t bother telling her parents that her real name was Sammy. She wasn’t even sure they remembered it. Amy had given her the nickname as soon as she could talk and it had stuck ever since.

“I’m sure she took it,” Amy snapped. “She’s just jealous of me. You should make her give it back.” Her expression then turned calm. “Actually, she can keep it. Instead, why don’t you just stop her from going on her journey?!” Sammy felt her heart stop. This couldn’t be happening.

Mr. and Mrs. Hill exchanged glances. “Don’t worry Samey, we aren’t going to keep you from going on a journey,” said her father. “But I want you to please not fight with your sister, and make sure you give her back her medal.” Sammy just nodded. There was no point in arguing. Her parents had been standing right there, listening to the entire conversation, yet it was still Sammy’s fault.

“Yes daddy,” Sammy answered quietly. She sat down to a bowl of her least favorite (and Amy’s favorite) cereal. Amy spent the whole meal kicking Sammy underneath the table, leaving a couple bruises. Sammy ignored her and finished her breakfast. She wasn’t going to let Amy ruin this day. That was why, without so much as a goodbye to her parents, Sammy Hill left her house alone for the first time in her life.

Sammy was looking at Pallet Town from a whole new perspective now. The sun was shining, a flock of Pidgey flew above the laboratory, and some Rattata scurried towards Route 1. Without giving Amy a second thought, Sammy took off running down the path to Professor Oak’s Pokémon lab.

“Let’s go Eevee!” Sammy said, feeling the happiest she had been in years. While it may have been the same old Pallet Town she had been forced to live in for her entire life while Amy traveled Kanto, it was all a new experience. The only time she had ran along the dirt path was when Amy had chased after her on a lawnmower. The only time she had ever stopped to look at the Pidgeys was when Amy had covered her with bread crumbs and threw her in front of the flock.

Sammy’s starter Pokémon popped out of his Pokéball. Eevee was a small brown Pokémon that looked like a cross between a fox, cat, dog, and rabbit. He had long ears and a large ring of cream-colored fur around his neck. The end of his bushy tail was the same color. Eevee let out a happy cry and kept up with Sammy as they got to the lab.

Sammy nervously opened the door and entered. She had never been to the lab before, and she was amazed at what was inside. The main floor was filled with computers and other humming machinery. Various Pokémon sat on platforms being monitored for various experiments. There was a back door that led out to a fenced in area for Pokémon. Sammy walked up to the counter with Eevee on her shoulder.

“Excuse me,” Sammy said to the girl at a desk. The girl wore a pale yellow sweater and a skirt. Her thick round glasses were slightly crooked and her bright red hair was in a bun. The girl looked up.

“Welcome to Professor Oak’s lab-” she began politely. Her voice had a professional tone. She then frowned. “Oh, hello Amy, would you like me to assess the abilities of your Pokémon, even though we both know the result will be that they are extremely powerful?”

Sammy laughed nervously. “Uh, actually, I’m Amy’s twin sister Samey- I mean Sammy. Sorry, Samey’s just what Amy likes to call me. The same as Amy, the lesser Amy, etc.”

The girl looked Sammy up and down. “Hm…no beauty-mark, and you do seem a bit more polite, plus your Eevee is of normal coloration. And that kind of nickname does sound like something Amy would come up with. I’m sorry I thought you were Amy, but you do look very similar. And not to offend you, but your sister and I are not on very good terms.”

“Oh that’s okay,” Sammy replied. “I’m her own sister and even I’m not on good terms with her.” They both laughed and the lab assistant stood up and stuck out her hand.

“My name is Scarlett Morrison by the way,” she said. Sammy took her hand and shook it. “If you are Amy’s twin sister, that means we’re the same age. How come I’ve never seen you before?”

“I don’t get out much,” Sammy said awkwardly. “And the few times I do get to leave the house, Amy always prevents me from going anywhere.” She then cleared her throat and smiled. “But that’s all going to change, because today’s the day I get to go on a journey. That’s why I came to the lab. I need a PokéDex and Pokéballs.”

“Well in that case, I’m happy for you,” Scarlett responded. “Professor Oak actually isn’t here right now. He’s out tending to the Pokémon, but I can get you your supplies.” She walked around the desk and released a Pokémon from a Pokéball.

“Magnemite,” said the Pokémon in a robotic/monotone voice. Magnemite was a spherical Pokémon made of grey metal. It had a single giant eye in the center of its body. A large screw stuck out of its head like an antenna, and two small screws on the bottom of its body stuck out at different angles. Black horseshoe magnets were attached to its sides, resembling arms. It floated around Scarlett’s head.

“Magnemite, please go get me a PokéDex,” Scarlett asked politely. Her Pokémon drifted towards a storage closet. Scarlett walked over to a shelf and grabbed five empty Pokéballs.

“Your Magnemite is so cute,” Sammy complimented as the Magnet Pokémon gave her the electronic encyclopedia. Scarlett gave her a smile and handed her the Pokéballs. “Thank you so much.”

“It was my pleasure,” Scarlett replied. She then looked at her watch. “I know you probably want to get out of here, but we have three new Trainers coming in to receive their starter Pokémon. If you’d like, you could stay and meet them. Professor Oak should be back by then. He loves giving his speech about Pokémon. Unless of course, you’d like to get a head start on your journey.”

Sammy wasn’t sure how to respond. She had never had any friends before, Amy made sure of that, and even if she was excited to leave Pallet Town it wouldn’t hurt to stay and keep Scarlett company. The redhead seemed so lonely.

So for the next half-hour, Scarlett showed Sammy around the lab. Sammy got to see the room where Trainers sent in the Pokémon they didn’t want to keep in rotation, the greenhouse where Professor Oak researched plants and several Grass-types, and finally she was shown the healing machine.

“I built this machine myself,” Scarlett said proudly. “It takes a basic healing table found in almost every Pokémon Center, and then I added the energy given off when the move Heal Pulse is given off combined with the particles of an Aromatherapy attack. This not only allows a Pokémon to be fully healed and cured of status ailments, but also fixes long term damages such as scars and heavy injuries that would need to be healed naturally.”

“That’s so cool,” Sammy said, not really knowing what a Heal Pulse, Aromatherapy, or even a Pokémon Center was. She decided that if Scarlett was going to be her first friend, she would have to pretend for now.

“Really?” Scarlett asked. She rarely had anyone interested in her work. They mostly stopped listening once they couldn’t be shown colorful pictures and instruction manuals. Sammy nodded. “Well it’s still a work in-progress. Viruses such as Pokérus can’t be cured, though I don’t think anyone would mind. But I’m confident that by the end of the year I’ll have the machine completed, patented, and out saving the lives of Pokémon.”

The door to the lab opened and in walked Professor Samuel Oak. Professor Oak was an older man, yet he still seemed physically able. He walked over to the table and set down three Pokéballs. He looked at Scarlett and Sammy.

“Ah Amy, what brings you to my lab? Are you here to switch out one of your Pokémon?”

“Actually this is Sammy, Amy’s twin sister,” Scarlett explained. Sammy waved and smiled nervously.

“Ah, I see, well hello Sammy. I’m Professor Oak. I run the lab here in Pallet Town.” He looked at the Eevee on Sammy’s shoulder. “Ah, so that’s where the Eevee went.”

“What do you mean?” Sammy asked.

“Well when you and your sister first came home from the hospital, your father requested I give him two of the same Pokémon. Now keep in mind I had not heard that your mother had given birth to twins, so I thought it was strange. Still, I gave him two Eevees, although one significantly differed from most Eevees. Though I see that went to your sister. Over time, I dismissed the ‘rumors’ that the Hills had two daughters, seeing as how Amy was the only one to ever stop by my lab. But now I see that Eevee has been put to good use.” He scratched Eevee behind his ears. “You’ve done an excellent job taking care of him.”

“Thank you sir,” Sammy replied.

“Oh, there’s no need to call me sir. I see Scarlett has given you a PokéDex and Pokéballs, so what are you still doing here.”

“Actually I-”

“She wanted to stay here and see the new trainers,” Scarlett said excitedly. “So I showed her around the lab, and then she saw my invention, and she thought it was cool! _Cool _! Those were her exact words.”__

“I’m sure they were,” Prof. Oak said, putting a hand on Scarlett’s shoulder. “I see you took my advice and started making some friends here in Pallet Town.” His assistant turned red. “Now I’m surprised that these trainers haven’t arrived yet. Usually they-”

“Topher is in the house!” Shouted a voice as the door opened. A boy Scarlett and Sammy’s age ran into the lab, followed by another boy and a girl. The first boy ran up to Professor Oak. “My name’s Topher, and I’m here to get my Pokémon. I need a really good one so I can beat Chris Mclean.”

“Who’s Chris Mclean?” Whispered Sammy. Scarlett shook her head.

“He’s some TV star that has his own show about Pokémon. He’s not that great.”

“Yes he is!” Shouted Topher. “He’s my idol! Don’t I look just like him?” Topher was pretty tall, had green eyes, and had light brown hair that was slicked up with gel. He wore a turquoise shirt and khakis. His sneakers were the same color as his shirt.

“Doesn’t Chris have black hair?” Scarlett asked. “And facial hair?” She added.

Topher looked hurt. He rubbed his chin self-consciously. “It’s not my fault I don’t have any of that. Whatever, can I just have my Pokémon now.”

Professor Oak opened up the three Pokéballs on his desk. Out came the three generic starters of the Kanto region. The first Pokémon was Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur was a blue dinosaur-like Pokémon with teal spots. It had red eyes and a large onion-like bulb on its back. The second Pokémon was Charmander. Charmander was a bipedal lizard Pokémon. It had orange skin and a small flame burning at the end of its long tail. The third Pokémon was Squirtle. Squirtle was a bipedal, light-blue turtle Pokémon. It had a swirly tail and hard brown shell.

Topher looked at all of them. “All right then…I guess I’ll choose Squirtle. He’s a Water-type, so that means he’ll be good against Chris’s newest Pokémon.” He picked up Squirtle and took his Pokéballs and PokéDex.

“Do you mind if I take Charmander?” The next boy asked the girl. He was short and scrawny, with dark skin and black hair. Sammy noticed a small tube of hand sanitizer was sticking out of his pocket. “My name’s Dave,” he introduced himself. The girl blushed. She was short as well and had fair skin. She wore a pink, glittery dress and matching bow in her black hair.

“Go right ahead,” she said kindly. "My name's Ella by the way."

“Thank you,” Dave responded. “It’s just that I’m pretty sure I’m allergic to plants, and fire is a good way to get rid of germs.” He took the PokéDex and Pokéballs from Scarlett.

“That means you get to come with me,” Ella said sweetly, petting the Bulbasaur. She sang several soft notes, making the Pokémon in the room dance around.

“That was incredible,” Scarlett exclaimed. “How did you do that?!”

“I’ve always been able to do that,” Ella explained.

“Well now that you all have your Pokémon, I suppose it’s time to test them out,” announced Professor Oak.

“Test them out?” Sammy cried. “You don’t mean a battle do you?”

“Duh,” Dave said. “What else are Pokémon for? Don’t tell me you don’t know what a battle is.”

“I know what a battle is,” Sammy replied. “It’s just that…I’m not good at battling.”

“Well I’ve studied battling since I was a kid,” Dave bragged. “So I think you’ll make an easy first opponent.”

“I guess that means we get to battle,” Ella said to Topher, who shrugged.

Sammy gulped. This was really happening. She hadn’t even started her journey and now she was going to have to battle. Sure, she knew it would happen eventually, but at least she wouldn’t have to worry about Amy learning of her defeat. She looked over at Scarlett, who gave her a thumbs up.

“All right then,” Sammy said, searching for confidence. She stared down Dave. “Let’s do this!”


	2. Finally Free Pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sammy is as ready as she'll ever be to battle Dave. How will our favorite twin sister handle battling for the first time in years against one of the smartest trainers she's ever met. And what is her plan afterwards?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter came out fairly quick. Don't expect all updates to happen as fast though. I hope you enjoy this chapter because it felt really good to write.

_This is a big mistake_ , Sammy thought as she faced off against Dave.  _Every time I’ve battled, Eevee ends up getting hurt._  The only person Sammy had ever battled against was Amy, who seemed to have no problem attacking her opponents even after they were fainted. Sammy knew that Pokémon didn’t actually die, and that they just lost the will to fight and were rendered unconscious. But Eevee still had scars from where he had been bit by Amy’s Eevee

Scarlett had told her not to worry about Eevee getting injured in Sammy’s battle against Dave. “The Pokémon that Professor Oak gives out to new Trainers usually only start out with Tackle, Scratch, Growl, or Tail Whip. Eevee should actually know several moves that will give him an advantage.” 

Well Charmander seemed a lot bigger now that Eevee was facing him in a battle. Dave had his arms folded across his chest, a smug look on his face. They were standing on one side of the lab. Ella and Topher were standing on the other, their Pokémon staring each other down. Sammy glanced nervously at Scarlett, who gave her a thumbs up. Then, without warning, the battle began. 

“Charmander, Scratch!” Dave cried. Charmander dashed at Eevee and raked his claws on the Normal-types face. Eevee was startled and fell back.

“Oh no,” Sammy gasped. “Eevee, are you all right?” Eevee got up and nodded. “Okay good. Let’s use…um…what about-”

“Scratch again!” Charmander dug his claws into Eevee’s fur and then threw him to the side. Sammy was confused now.

“But it wasn’t his turn,” she began.

“Battles are rarely turn-based anymore,” Scarlett interrupted. “Maybe back when Amy taught you how to battle, but now it’s just whoever can- Look out!” Dave’s Charmander swiped towards Eevee again.

“Try and dodge it!” Sammy yelled. Eevee jumped out of the way just in time. Sammy breathed a sigh of relief. “All right, now use Tackle!” Eevee turned around and slammed into Charmander’s stomach. The Lizard Pokémon was pushed back several feet. Dave raised an eyebrow.

“Well that’s not something you see every day. Charmander, use Growl!” Charmander let out a high-pitched cry. A sound wave rippled across the battlefield towards Eevee, who jumped over it. “Don’t let him in close. Use your tail!” Charmander began turning in circles, claws out and tail whipping around. Now Eevee was in a tough spot. He couldn’t get in close with a Tackle attack, or risk being hit with Scratch or the flames on Charmander’s tail.

Professor Oak, who had been watching Ella’s Bulbasaur tackle Squirtle to the ground, turned and looked at Sammy and Dave’s match. “Hm, I think I remember that each of the Eevee’s had an Egg Move to help them out in battles. If my memory serves me, your sister’s move was Dig and yours was-”

“Oh, that move doesn’t work on Pokémon,” Sammy replied. “Trust me, I used it against Amy and it did nothing.”

Professor Oak’s brow furrowed. “It doesn’t work on Pokémon? Or it doesn’t work on Amy’s Pokémon?”

Sammy looked at her Eevee. He was circling around Charmander, but couldn’t get in close without getting pushed back by flames or claws. The professor was right, maybe Amy had been…wrong? “All right Eevee, use Shadow Ball!”

Scarlett gasped. “It’s a Shadow Ball Eevee?!” Professor Oak nodded with smile. Sammy wasn’t sure what that meant. Eevee opened up his mouth and a blob of shadowy ectoplasm formed into front of him. Eevee turned his head and fired the blob at Charmander, striking her in the chest. The Fire-type fell to the ground, struggling to get up.

“Use Scratch!” Dave said in a panic. Charmander rushed at Eevee. Sammy was still in a daze.

“I-it’s never worked before,” she said in shock. Charmander scratched Eevee. “Eevee, use Shadow Ball again!” Eevee fired another blob of ectoplasm at his opponent. This repeat of the attack was just to assure Sammy that it worked. The blob exploded upon contact with Charmander’s stomach. She flew backwards and landed on the on ground with a thud. Her eyes had turned to swirls, indicating she had fainted.

“WHAT?!” Dave cried. “How did you…what happened out there?” He was so upset that he forgot to return his Pokémon. On the other side of the lab, Topher had managed to defeat Ella.

“Well for starters, Sammy’s Eevee has the Ability known as Adaptability,” Scarlett explained. “That doubles the power of moves of the same type as the user. So that first Tackle attack did a massive amount of damage. Then Eevee used Shadow Ball, which not only has a base power of 80, but also has a one in five chance of lowering Special Defense, allowing the next Shadow Ball to do even more damage, thus fainting your Charmander.” Everyone stared at her. Scarlett sighed. “Eevee has a really strong Tackle and Shadow Ball.”

“Oh!” Said everyone except for Professor Oak.

“You did great,” Sammy said to her Pokémon, patting Eevee on the head. She looked up at Dave, who was frowning. “You did great too. I thought for sure that you’d beat me.”

Dave shrugged. “You just got lucky. Next time, if there is a next time, you’ll lose for sure.” He healed his Charmander on Scarlett’s healing table and then left the lab.

“Well I think you preformed excellently,” Ella complimented Topher as they healed their Pokémon. “I certainly enjoyed the battle.”

“Thank you,” Topher replied. “I used the strategy I learned from  _the_ Chris Mclean. I let you hit me a couple times, while lowering your Defense with a Tail Whip. Then I finished you off with a Tackle attack.”

“Yes, I was there.”

“Well I guess I should be going now,” Sammy said after she had gathered up her things. “It was nice meeting you all. Thank you for the supplies Scarlett.” She turned to open the door, when it was thrown open. Sammy gasped and took a few steps back. Standing in the doorway was Amy.

"Hey sis," she said with a evil smirk.

* * *

Amy entered the lab with a devious look. She strutted across the room, her white boots making loud noises as they came into contact with the tile floor. Sammy noticed she was wearing the stupid red cheer-leading outfit she always wore to Pokéathlons. Amy stopped in the center of the room and folded her arms over her chest.

Topher's eyes darted from Sammy to Amy. "Am I seeing double?"

Amy scoffed. "How could you confuse me and  _Samey_? I'm the pretty one!"

"I thought her name was Sammy," Ella said in confusion.

"No, it's Samey. Because she's almost the same as me, Amy. Actually, she's more like a spare Amy. That's it!" Amy looked at Sammy. "I'm going to legally change your name to Sparemy. It's perfect!"

Sammy cleared her throat. "N-no, you're not."

Amy's eyes narrowed. "What did you just say? Because it sounded like-"

"You aren't changing my name," Sammy told her. "In fact, you aren't going to do anything to me. I know about you now, how you taught me all the wrong things about battling. Well now things are different. I'm leaving this town, and I'm leaving you!"

Amy smiled. "Oh dear sister, I just came by to wish you a horrible goodbye. I saw that pathetic battle you had. If it wasn't for Professor Oak over there, you would have lost." She pointed to the Professor, who was unsure whether or not he should step in and do something. "So go ahead Sparemy, see how far you get before you come crawling back to me."

"My name...is...SAMMY!" She screamed. "Eevee, use Shadow Ball!" Eevee leaped out of his Pokéball and created a blob of ectoplasm.

"Sammy don't!" Scarlett shouted, but it was too late. The blob was hurled towards Amy, who just rolled her eyes. A belt on her Pokéball opened up and an Eevee popped out. This Eevee was different however. She was a light grey in coloration, and the ring of fur around her neck and at the tip of her tail was an even lighter shade of grey. When she first came out of the Pokéball there was a shower of sparkles. Amy's Eevee grabbed the ball of ectoplasm in her mouth and bit down on it, causing it to burst.

"See, it still doesn't work on me," Amy taunted. ""Now we'll show you a real attack. Eevee, use Take Down." Amy's Pokemon recklessly charged at Sammy's Eevee. The oddly colored Eevee slammed into the regular one, throwing it across the room and into the wall.

"Eevee," Sammy cried, running over to her Pokémon. The Evolution Pokémon had fainted, but Amy wasn't done yet.

"And so she doesn't forget which one of us is prettier, stronger, and smarter, use Double Edge!" Amy's Eevee became outlined in white light. She rushed towards Sammy and her Eevee.

"Intercept it with Thunderbolt," ordered Scarlett, much to Sammy's surprise. Magnemite floated in front of the approaching Eevee. Its magnets glowed bright yellow as a blast of lightning shot at Eevee. The Normal-type was stopped dead in her tracks and began to shake as electricity coursed through her body. She was breathing heavily when the attack was finished.

Amy frowned and recalled her Pokémon. "That was a mistake you'll regret making," she said to Scarlett, before turning to Sammy. "You have exactly fifteen minutes to get out of my town until I throw you out myself. And remember Sparemy, I have better Pokémon than Eevee." With that, she left the lab.

Sammy felt tears well up in her eyes and she lifted up her fainted Eevee. She placed him on the healing table and began to cry. Scarlett walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"You can't let Amy treat you like that anymore," she said, though it sounded like an order. "Someone once told me have to take your fears by the throat and throttle them into courage. So whatever you're afraid of happening, don't be afraid. You saw how quickly she recalled her Pokémon once someone else stepped in to fight her. That proves she can be stopped. You just have to figure out how."

Sammy sniffled. "But you heard what she said. I barely won that battle, and I won't make it far on my own. And now that you've helped me she'll make your life miserable."

"The difference between us is experience," Scarlett explained. "She can try as hard as she'd like, but she won't be able to break me. You'll be like this too after your journey. Trust me, I'll be fine."

Sammy gave a weak smile. "Okay then, I guess it's worth a shot. I suppose I'll make some new friends along the way. That'd be nice. I've never exactly had many friends before. Actually, I've never had any friends up until today."

Ella gasped. "You mean you've never had a BFF to hang out with?" Sammy shook her head. "You've never been to a slumber party, or gone to the movies, or had someone to sing karaoke with?" Sammy shook her head again. "Well then I'm going to be your Best Friend Forever," the singing princess decided, grabbing Sammy's hand. "Scarlett, would you like to be BFFs as well."

"Um, I don't know," Scarlett said awkwardly. Sammy wrapped an arm around her and Ella. "Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt." She smiled. "All right then!"

"What about you Topher?" Ella asked sweetly.

Topher laughed. "Look ladies, I may be great with ladies like Chris, but I can't be your BFF. That's a girl thing. However, I wouldn't mind having a posse to travel with. Chris doesn't have one of those."

Scarlett rolled her eyes. "Yes, well unfortunately I won't be able to travel with you. I have a lot of work to do at the lab. However, I have to pick up a Parcel in Viridian City, which is just north of here. I can accompany you for a short while, but then we must part ways."

"Well that's better than nothing," Sammy replied. "What are we waiting for? I have, like, six minutes to get out of here!" The girls ran out of the lab, grabbing Topher on their way out. The exit to Route 1 was nearby. Route 1 was a quiet country road full of greenery and rough dirt paths. Pokémon scurried through the tall grass, flew through the trees, and dashed through the dirt. It may not have seemed like much, but to Sammy it was breathtaking. This small road was a symbol. A symbol that the years of abuse were over. A symbol that Amy no longer had an iron grip on Sammy's life. It was a symbol that Sammy was finally free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how was it? My favorite part was the ending because Sammy deserves some sort of happy ending. But this story is far from ending.


	3. Take it in Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our heroes enter Route 1 on their way to Viridian City. Topher shows them all a weird hobby of his that is bound to get them into trouble with the local wildlife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a little tiring to write. I had no real plan other than getting them through the route. But it's still important for each of the characters.

Route 1 was a term universal to the regions of the Pokémon world. Every new Trainer in Kanto started out on Route 1 if they knew how to pace themselves. It was full of weak Pokémon for Trainers to practice battling and capturing. The PokéMart in Viridian City even had an official employee that stood at the end of the route handing out promotional Potions to anyone passing by. When it was first discovered, Route 1 had only been home to a couple Pidgey flocks and a pack of Rattata. Now it had a wide range of Pokémon that lived in the trees, under the soil, and even in the small stream nearby. Sammy, Topher, Ella, and Scarlett walked along the worn path.

“Wait,” Topher said, sticking out his arm to stop the girls. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his PokéDex. He held it up to his face and pressed the record button.

“Hello there PokéTube, and welcome to this week’s episode of the Topher Show! I’m you host, Topher Clements!” He said in an over-enthused tone. Scarlett and Ella recognized this as a voice similar to Chris Mclean. “I’m here on Route 1 of the Kanto region. And with me is my posse.” He turned the camera to face the girls. “Say hello to Sammy, Ella, and Scarlett.”

“Um, hi.” Sammy said with a nervous wave. 

“Oh it is so delightful to meet all of you,” Ella said sweetly.

Scarlett merely rolled her eyes.

Topher turned the camera back to him. “We’ve just started our Pokémon journey. We’ll start off today’s episode by showing off our current Pokémon.” He sent out his Squirtle. “This is Squirtle. Come on buddy, give the audience your best Tail Whip!” Squirtle waved his tail back and forth cutely. Ella squealed and clapped her hands together. She sent out her Bulbasaur. Topher adjusted the camera.

“Allow me to sing a song,” the princess said. “ **We’re here on this journey together. Just three gals, and a boy. And now we’re being filmed on camera. Oh how I love this feeling of joy!** ” Squirtle and Bulbasaur pranced in a circle around her.

Sammy bashfully sent out her Eevee, who stared curiously at the camera. “Sammy’s Eevee is a Shadow Ball Eevee,” Topher explained. “Come on Eevee, give us a Shadow Ball-” Eevee fired a blob of ectoplasm which accidentally hit Topher, knocking him down.

“Are you okay?!” Sammy cried, helping Topher up to his feet. Topher was laughing.

“That was awesome!” He turned to Scarlett. “Scarlett, let’s see your Pokémon!”

Scarlett sighed. “If you must. Go Magnemite.” She sent out the Electric/Steel-type. To everyone’s surprise, she also pulled a second and third Pokéball out of her pocket. She expanded them and let them fall to the ground. They bounced, opened up, released a Pokémon, and flew back into her hands.

“Why do you have two more Magnemite?” Sammy asked, eyeing the two identical Pokémon that were now floating with Scarlett’s first Magnemite.

“Defensive purposes,” Scarlett replied. “Each Magnemite is equipped with a wide range of moves, as well as a signature attack that the other two do not now.” She motioned to her first Magnemite. “As you’ve seen, this one knows Thunderbolt. My second Magnemite knows Thunder Wave to paralyze opponents. My third Magnemite can use Magnet Rise as a means of escape.”

“But why three?” Ella asked. “Not that they aren’t all adorable.” She patted the Magnet Rise Magnemite on the head.

“I’m often so busy that I don’t have enough time for training. I get the basic care done, but not enough training to get them to evolve on their own. Three Magnemite can bond themselves together in a battle to create Magneton. In the wild, Magnemite do this for life. My three Magnemite are unable to do so because Pokéballs, Pokémon Centers, and the PC system count them as separate Pokémon.”

Sammy remembered Amy bragging about how a Pokémon of hers, a Weedle, had evolved into a Kakuna and then into a Beedrill. Sammy rubbed her arm where the Poison Bee Pokémon had once stung her. Evolution was a pretty big deal to some Trainers.

“Well that’s our science for the day,” Topher said to the camera, inserting a fake laugh. “Now that you’ve seen what our Pokémon can do, let’s put it to the test. Route 1 is home to several species of Pokémon, all of which are exciting to track down and catch. So we’re going to do that right now.” He fixed the PokéDex to his shirt so that it would record everything in front of him.

“Wait,” Sammy exclaimed, “we’re just going to go find a Pokémon and catch it?”

“There’s more to it than that,” Scarlett explained. “Pokémon don’t just jump out at you. Well, some of them do, but not all of them. You have to use strategy to find the rarer ones, and even still you have to weaken them and throw the Pokéball.” She followed Topher and Ella into the tall grass.

“I don’t know guys,” Sammy called out. “Maybe we should just keep hiking.” She didn’t like this at all. Tall grass brought up memories of how Amy had once lost her in a hedge maze. She had spent hours wandering around and being taunted by her sister. No matter where Sammy thought the voice was coming from, she always ended up at a wall. 

“Keep your voice down,” Topher hissed. “You’ll scare away the Pokémon.” Sammy glanced back and forth before hesitantly following the others. They walked through the tall grass for about half a mile before crouching down.

“I think this is a good spot to wait,” Scarlett said. “Everyone be ready with your Pokémon and Pokéballs. Sammy, what’s wrong?”

“Uh, nothing,” replied the blonde. “I, um, just don’t like tall grass. But I’m…uh…cool with this.” The others looked at her, but said nothing. “So what exactly do we do now?”

“We simply wait,” Ella sighed. “Oh if only I could sing a song. Then maybe the Pokémon would come to us.”

“Why can’t you sing?” Sammy asked.

“Because Topher doesn’t need a siren song to catch a Pokémon,” Topher bragged. “Ella, you can sing once I’ve caught a Pokémon.” Suddenly, the grass began to rustle. “OH MY GOSH, IT’S A-”

“Sh!” Scarlett shushed. The Pokémon hopped out of the grass. It was a small purple mouse-like Pokémon with red eyes. It had a long tail that curled at the end. There were two whiskers on each side of its face, and it had two buck-teeth.

“What is it?” Sammy asked.

“A Rattata,” Scarlett replied. “Also referred to as _Anima rattus_ by certain scholars. It is a Normal-type known for its fast reproduction rate and ability to survive in a number of environments. Farmers in the Johto region consider them a pest, but the people of Kanto give them a sort of respect.”

“Normal-types are immune to Ghost-type moves,” Topher explained. “Chris Mclean’s Gengar is one of his strongest Pokémon, so I should probably catch it.” He reached for his Squirtle’s Pokéball.

“Is that why Shadow Ball never worked on Amy’s Eevee?” Sammy asked quietly. “Because Ghost-type attacks don’t affect Normal-types? And what’s the Johto region?”

“A region connected to Kanto,” Scarlett responded. “The two land masses used to be one, but the War of Separation caused them to split in two. That was a while ago, and the two regions still aren’t on very good terms.”

“I’m going in,” Topher interrupted. “Squirtle go!” He threw the ball into the air. Squirtle jumped out and landed on the ground in front of the Rattata. “Use Tackle-” The Rattata spun around and dashed into the grass. “Dang it! They’re too fast. Chris would be disappointed in me.”

“Perhaps a song would incline it to stay?” Ella suggested. Topher shook his head.

“I need to do this without your help. How can I catch it if it doesn’t stay still?”

Sammy thought for a moment. “Maybe you could trap it…or maybe Scarlett could use that one move to slow it down.”

“Great idea Sammy,” Scarlett praised. She sent out her Thunder Wave Magnemite. “Now we just need to find another Rattata. Rattatas usually live in large family groups ranging from as little as ten to over a hundred. Rattatas live for an extremely long time, so you could catch one Rattata and then catch his great-granddaughter shortly after.”

“Well I want one of the younger ones,” Topher said. “The younger Pokémon will be easier to make an impression on and train. We’ll have to go deeper into the grass."

“Are you sure?” Sammy asked. “I-I don’t really like the idea of going into grass that’s so tall we can’t see each other. What if we get separated?”

“It’ll make for one thrilling first episode,” Topher grinned. He led them further into the field. After a few seconds he took off in a run. “I see one!”

“Topher wait for us!” Scarlett scolded, dashing after him. Ella and Sammy tried to keep up. “Topher!” The Chris Mclean fanboy gave no response. “Topher!” Scarlett called again. The girls looked around, but they saw only grass. “Stay close.”

“Where’s Topher?” Sammy whimpered. This was getting to be all too familiar.

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Scarlett reassured. “Ella, sing a song to get him to hear us. Ella?” Scarlett and Sammy turned around. The singing princess was nowhere to be found. “Okay, we just need to remain calm-”

“I’ve got to get out of here!” Sammy screamed, running off. Scarlett groaned and chased after her, trying to calm her down. After what felt like a while, Sammy stopped. Scarlett had lost her. Sammy curled up on the ground and began to hyperventilate.

“Eevee?” Her Pokémon said as he materialized out of her Pokéball. Sammy pulled him close. “Eevee!” He was glaring at her.

“What is it?” She asked.

“Eevee, Eevee, Eevee!” He cried. Sammy felt like she was being reprimanded for a mistake. Suddenly she understood.

“I-I shouldn’t have just left Scarlett and the others like that,” Sammy admitted. Eevee nodded. Sammy took a deep breath. “Okay. I’m not going to let this turn into the hedge maze. I just have to…take things in steps.” She stood up. “Step one, set a goal. I need to find the others. Step two, figure out what I already know about my problem. Let’s see….Topher ran off to find a Rattata, Ella disappeared when we were looking for Topher, and Scarlett is probably still looking for me. Step three, find a way to accomplish the goal. Well I can’t just wander around on my own and hope I’ll find them. So maybe I should bring them to me.”

“Eev,” her Pokémon agreed. He tilted his head up and fired a Shadow Ball into the air. The blob flew up several meters before falling back to the ground and exploding.

Sammy frowned. “Well that doesn’t work too well. How about you use Shadow Ball and then hit it with Sand-Attack to make it explode in the air?”

Eevee nodded and shot another blob of ectoplasm into the sky. He then spun around and kicked up a large amount of dirt and sand. The Shadow Ball came into contact with the sand when it started to fall. It exploded causing small, purple sparks to rain down on the field.

“Sammy is that you!” Called a voice. It was Ella.

“I’m right here!” Sammy yelled back.

“Where are you?” Topher shouted from somewhere.

“Everyone remain still!” ordered Scarlett. “Ella, sing your song. Then we’ll just have to follow our Pokémon.”

“Okay,” Ella replied. “ **We are hopelessly lost, even though we doing well. Only now we have a solution, thanks to Scarlett’s brain cells!** ” Eevee scampered into the grass. Sammy ran after him and collided with Topher. They fell onto the ground. 

“Sorry,” Sammy apologized. A few seconds later, Scarlett ran past. She tripped over Topher and landed on top of Sammy. Ella was standing a few feet away.

“Are you all right?” Ella asked them. They gave several responses. “Well I think my song helped a little more than just you three find me.” They all looked around and saw several Pokémon standing in a circle. They were completely transfixed with Ella. Amongst them was the Rattata Topher had been chasing.

The Chris Mclean fan sighed. “Well I suppose this is better than nothing.” He pulled out a Pokéball and tossed it at the Normal-type. It opened up and sucked Rattata in with a red light. The ball fell to the ground and shook three times. Topher picked it up after it clicked. “And that ladies and gentlemen, is one way to catch a Pokémon. See you next week on the Topher Show.” He pressed a button on his PokéDex and it stopped recording. Topher fell to his knees. “Well that was a complete bust. Most of my episodes are much longer and are more about myself. Chris will never watch them now.”

The girls exchanged glances. They looked at the Pokémon crowding around Ella. There was Pidgey, a small bird Pokémon; Spearow, a red hawk-like Pokémon; Ponyta, a fiery horse Pokémon; and Ekans, a purple snake Pokémon.

“You’re so beautiful,” Ella said, stroking the Ponyta’s fur. “You’d be perfect for my royal steed.”

“I must be missing something,” Scarlett said. “Where are you from exactly?”

“The Sinnoh region,” Ella answered proudly. “My grandfather own a brilliant mansion where we all live. Tons of Pokémon visit his estate. That’s where my grandmother taught me to sing for the Pokémon.”

“But what’s with the princess getup?” Scarlett asked. “Sinnoh has no actual royalty. It never has. As a matter of fact, Kalos is the only region with a royal monarch, and that was still centuries ago.”

“ **Who says life can’t be a fairytale?** ” Ella sang. “ **For it has a beginning, and an end. So I spread the joy, through songs and dance. Hoping maybe I’ll meet my prince…by…CHANCE! So now you want to know, why I wear this gown. Well Scarlett I shall tell you, I wear this to keep the world from dragging me DOWN!** ” She mounted the Ponyta and rod through the fields. Sammy, Topher, and Scarlett struggled to keep up.

“Are you seriously recording this?” Sammy asked Topher.

“Yeah! Maybe I can get a record label for it!” Topher replied. Ella continued to sing.

“ **Life is full of music; it has a rhythm and a beat. A melody you can feel from your head to your feet. So Scarlett, don’t bother with logic and reason. I am known to sing in every season. I do my best to spread cheer, every day. And when I go to bed I can say-** ” The Ponyta leaped into the air. “ **-Ella you did…okay!** ” When they landed on the ground, Ella hopped off of the Ponyta. “Thank you for that wonderful ride. Would you like to come with me?” The Ponyta nodded. “Well all right then.” She tapped it with a Pokéball. The Ponyta disappeared inside. The ball shook three times before clicking. Ella smiled and planted a kiss on the Pokéball.

“Did you understand that?” Sammy asked. Topher and Scarlett nodded. “Well that’s good. I suppose it’s time for us to go now.” The group continued along the road. They met up with the PokéMart employee who gave them each a free Potion.

“We’re almost there,” Scarlett said. She pointed to a city that could be seen off in the distance.

“Last one there eats a rotten egg!” Topher shouted, sprinting along the path. Scarlett and Sammy chased after him. Ella climbed onto her Ponyta and trotted alongside them.

 _I know I can do this_ , Sammy said to herself. _I just have to take it in steps._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was it good? If not, that's okay. I think the next two chapters will be much more exciting.


	4. Meet Team Drama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now in Viridian City, our heroes meet up with some villains intent on stealing Oak's parcel from Scarlett. As expected, a battle ensues. But who will come out the victor?

Viridian City was once a small settlement in Kanto. Now it was a bustling city full of shops restaurants, and other businesses. There was a Trainer School, Pokémon Center, several PokéMarts, and a Gym. The site of all the people going about their everyday activities took Sammy's breath away. She had never been around so many people at once. Scarlett had been to Viridian City several times and was used to its size. Ella had seen many big cities in Sinnoh and was eager to make friends with everyone. Topher just stood with them, looking unimpressed.

"I'm from Saffron City," he explained, "the tenth most populous city in the Pokémon world. Viridian City may seem big, but it's nothing compared to Saffron and Celadon."

"Sammy's never left Pallet Town," Scarlett told him. "Let's expose her to one city at a time."

"You mean you've never been able to go anywhere, not even on vacation?" Ella said in shock.

Sammy though for a moment. "Nope, the only vacation-like thing I did was when the fair came to Pallet Town. Even then, Amy made sure I didn't have fun." Ella gave her a look of sympathy. "So, what should we do first?"

"Well the logical option would be to check in to a Pokémon Center-" Scarlett began.

Ella interrupted her with a loud squeal. "SHOPPING SPREE!" She grabbed Sammy, Scarlett, and Topher and dragged them into the nearest store. A few seconds later they all ran out screaming.

"My eyes," Topher cried. "My beautiful eyes!"

"Never take us into one of those stores again," Sammy said, on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry," Ella apologized. "I had no idea there would be a store like that. We don't have those in Sinnoh. Here, this one seems much better." It was a cute little store that sold hats. Scarlett had a feeling that her three friends would spend a great deal of time in there.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to go and pick up the package for Professor Oak," Scarlett said. They all looked at her, disappointed she was leaving. Scarlett smiled. They did care. "It shouldn't take me very long. How about we meet at the Pokémon Center in half an hour."

"That's fine," Sammy said. She wasn't sure if she would feel comfortable with just Ella and Topher. She still didn't know very much about them. Actually, she didn't know all that much about Scarlett either.

Sammy actually ended up having a really good time with her two other companions. She and Ella tried on almost every hat in the store. Then they went to a store that sold nail polish, a store that sold sunglasses, and a store that sold accessories for Pokémon.

"So Pokémon can actually wear clothes that help them in battles?" Sammy said in amazement as she stared at the racks of tiny clothing.

"Only sometimes," Ella replied. "There are scarfs that help boost your Pokemon's looks, and others boost their Speed and other stats."

"Stats?" Sammy said in confusion.

"Stats are what determine how a Pokémon performs in battle," Topher explained. "The stats are Attack, Special Attack, Defense, Special Defense, Speed, and HP. They aren't normally used unless you're a 'serious battler'. Even Chris McLean doesn't pay much attention the raising them like some people do. But that's called EV Training and it's only for the nerdiest of battlers. Most accessories have no effect on the Pokémon at all." He grabbed a small red vest with bulging pockets and several layers of padding. "Hmm, an Assault Vest. Helps protect from Special Attacks but prevents the use of Status moves." He looked at the price tag and almost fainted. "Never mind."

Ella pulled out a white linen scarf. She examined it for a few seconds. "Let's see how this looks on Eevee," she suggested. Sammy sent out Eevee, who stared at the scarf. "This is a Silk Scarf. It boosts Normal-type attacks." She tied it around Eevee's neck. "Oh my gosh, it looks adorable!"

"Yeah," Sammy agreed, "but I can't afford it. Actually, I can't afford any of this stuff. My parents didn't give me any money when I left. Sort of because I stormed out of my house..." Her voice trailed off.

Ella produced a plastic credit-card from out of nowhere. "I'm sure this will cover everything." She dragged them to the front counter and placed the Silk Scarf, a red hibiscus for her Bulbasaur, and a pair of shades for Topher's Squirtle in front of the clerk.

"You don't have to buy this for us," Topher argued.

"What's the point of having friends if you can't share your wealth with them?" Ella asked as the clerk swiped her card and handed her a shopping bag which she handed off to Topher. "Well, where should we go now?"

Sammy checked the time on her Dex. "Well I think it's time for us to meet Scarlett at the Pokémon Center. Where is that?"

"Follow me," Topher said. "I stopped by Viridian on my way down to Pallet Town. My aunt gave me her Haunter to protect me from wild Pokémon, not that it ever listens to me. Actually, I should probably send it back to her once we get there." The two girls followed Topher to a large white building with a red roof. Pokéball symbols decorated the various walls and objects inside.

The inside of the Pokémon Center was spacious and clean. There was a counter where they all dropped off their Pokémon to be healed up. Several computers were lined up along the left wall. Strange machines lined the right. Scarlett was sitting at a small glass table, a large package in front of her. Topher ran off to return his aunt's Haunter, so Ella and Sammy sat with Scarlett.

"What's in the box?" Sammy asked as she sat on one of the chairs.

"I'm not sure," Scarlett replied. "Professor Oak mentioned that it was very important and that I had to bring it back to him right away."

* * *

What the girls didn't know was that while they were talking, somebody else was listening in. Three mysterious people were watching Scarlett and the package through the security feed. They had climbed in through the vents and had managed to hack into the footage. They each wore matching black shirts with a red D on the front and silver pants.

The shortest of them, a chubby guy with purple hair, pointed to the package." Oh what evil things we'll be able to do with the contents of that parcel," he said deviously.

"The mysteries of the box will soon be revealed," agreed the other guy. He had a green robe over his out outfit. A fake grey beard was taped to his face.

The final person, a girl with curly blonde hair, scoffed. "Y'all mean you don't have any idea what's in that there box?"

The two guys looked awkwardly at one another. "Well...no," said the taller one." The girl grabbed him and pinned him to the wall of the air duct.

"Listen here wizard!" She shouted. "I didn't climb through this vent, ruin my nails, and sit here for two hours while Max hacked the doohickey to get us the movin' pictures, just for a box that might not even have anything in it!"

"Quiet yourself Sugar," the shorter guy, Max, hissed. "We will soon find out what's in that package. Just you wait. Now my minions, let's cause a distraction."

"When do we tell him we're not his minions?" Whispered Sugar. The "wizard" shrugged.

"Leonard!" Max snapped. The "wizard" looked at him. "Can you do something to get them all in one spot?"

Leonard thought for a moment. "Well I suppose I have the spell for this. Uh, just close your eyes and chant my name or it won't work." Max and Sugar followed his orders without question. Leonard closed his eyes as well and began to speak in gibberish. Unknown to all of them, a Mr. Mime popped out of one of Leonard's Pokéballs. Mr. Mime waved his hands around. The three thieves floated out of a vent and into a room filled with hospital beds. They opened their eyes and looked around.

"How is this a distraction?" Sugar asked. "We're just in another part of the Pokémon Center."

"I must have mixed up my spells," Leonard said nervously. "Oh, what are you doing out Mr. Mime? Well I suppose it is time for me to teach more about the ways of magic. The pink, jester-like Pokémon cocked his head to one side. The group of four made their way through the back of the Pokémon Center so that they could see what was going on out front. Scarlett was chatting with her friends, the package still on the table. The boy that Scarlett's two friends had entered with was stilling waiting to use one of the Trading Machines."

Sugar pulled out a white paper packet and flipped through it. "Well it says here that that's Scarlett. She's Professor Oak's assistant. He must've sent her to get the package."

"Who are the other three?" Max asked.

Sugar shrugged. "Doesn't say anything about them in this packet. Maybe the wizard can read their minds to find out who they are." Leonard closed his eyes and began to chant. Mr. Mime scratched his head nervously. He was just going to have to let Leonard fail at this one.

"They must have some sort of protection spell up," Leonard mused. "Perhaps they are fellow wizards. We should take the parcel as well as them. The boss is always looking for new recruits right?"

"That's the smartest thing I've heard all day," Sugar agreed. "All right wizard, cause a distraction."

Leonard turned to Mr. Mime. "All right Mr. Mime. Let me show you how to do a Misty Terrain spell." Leonard began to speak in tongues and do jazz hands. Mr. Mime sighed and copied him, making sure to stand by his Trainer so the others thought it was Leonard causing pink mist to fill the Pokémon Center. Max stared in awe, and Sugar applauded as everyone looked around in panic.

"Everyone please remain calm," Nurse Joy said. "This is just a Misty Terrain attack. A Pokémon probably used it on accident."

"That's what you think," Sugar giggled as she, Max, Leonard, and Mr. Mime rushed towards Scarlett. "Trap 'em wizard!"

"My mana is draining," Leonard explained. He looked at Mr. Mime. "Trick Room!"

"Mime!" Mr. Mime held out his hands and a large box made of transparent green energy appeared around the table, the girls, Leonard, Sugar, and Mr. Mime. Max grumbled something about being left behind and began to work on a way to stop anyone from getting to the police. Nurse Joy reached for the telephone.

"Time to EVIL!" Max cackled. He pulled out the device he had used to hack the security cameras. With the push of a few buttons he was able to block out any phones, computers, PokéDex transmissions, and Trading Machines.

"Oh come on!" Topher complained as he placed the Haunter's Pokéball on his belt. He seemed completely oblivious to what was going on in the Pokémon Center until he turned around and saw his friends trapped in a box. "Don't worry guys, I'll come and save you!"

"Don't!" Scarlett shouted. "This is a Trick Room. Anything that enters it will be trapped inside."

"So how do we get out?!" Ella cried.

"You won't be gettin' out," Sugar growled. "Now hand over that package!"

Scarlett looked at the package on the table. "No, this is for Professor Oak. If you want it, you'll have to get through me!"

"Okay then," Sugar smirked. She grabbed a Pokéball off of her belt. "Go Mankey, and don't come back until you have that package!" A small, cream-colored monkey Pokémon with a long tail and pig-like nose popped out of Sugar's Pokéball. He slowly ran towards Scarlett. "Oh fudge-nuggets!"

"Trick Room makes slower Pokémon fast and faster Pokémon slow," Scarlett explained. "Magnemite use Thunderbolt!" Her main Magnemite materialized in the air and shot lightning at Mankey.

"Mankey!" The Pig Monkey Pokémon cried.

"Low Kick!" Sugar ordered. Mankey lunged at Magnemite and planted his foot in its face. Magnemite was thrown into the ground with a sickening crunch.

"We've got to help Scarlett," Sammy said to Ella and Topher. The latter was standing just outside the Trick Room.

"Who are you people?" Topher asked.

"It seems we forgot to do our intro," Max said. He pulled out the device and evil-themed music began to play. Max, Sugar, and Leonard began to recite their motto.

_**S: You've strayed too far into our path.** _

_**M: For that you will surely face our wrath.** _

_**L: Carrying out our boss' orders without a second guess.** _

_**All: Our persistence is what will ensure our success.** _

_**S: Sugar** _

_**M: Max** _

_**L: Leonard** _

_**S: Team Drama, causing chaos at every turn.** _

_**M: So battle us, you have a painful lesson to learn.** _

_**L: Forcefield!** _

Everyone in the Pokémon Center stared at the three members of Team Drama. Topher coughed awkwardly. "Uh, can we just fight these guys. Go Rattata!" He threw out the Mouse Pokémon towards Max.

Max screeched. "Ew, a rat! Get away get away get away!" Rattata chased after Max, nipping at his feet.

In the Trick Room, Bulbasaur and Eevee had been sent out. "Shadow Ball!" Sammy ordered. Scarlett had explained the Ghost-type attacks would work well against Psychic-types like Mr. Mime. The blob of ectoplasm struck Mr. Mime in the chest.

"Psybeam," Leonard shouted. Mr. Mime let a beam of psychic power flow from his hand. The beam hit Eevee, throwing him into one of the Trick Room walls. Eevee stood up weakly.

Ella's Bulbasaur, now with the red hibiscus behind her ear, fired three green seeds at Sugar's Mankey. The seeds opened up and began sucking energy from the Fighting-type. Sugar turned to Ella and focused on her Bulbasaur. "Nobody puts clothes on their Pokémon but me!" Sugar snarled. "Mankey, use Karate Chop!"

"But you're Mankey isn't wearing anything-" Ella began.

"No, don't hit her Bulbasaur. Hit her!" Mankey changed targets to Ella.

"Use SonicBoom!" Shouted Scarlett. The tips of Magnemite's magnets glowed white. Arcs of white energy hit Mankey, sending him back to Sugar.

"Oh, this isn't fair," Sugar whined. "All right wizard, show us that one spell you've been a workin' on!"

Leonard gulped. "Okay then.  _Da me quid I volo_!" Mr. Mime quickly waved his hands around. The package that Scarlett held closely to her chest disappeared and reappeared in Mr. Mime's hands.

"Not that spell!" Sugar moaned. "The one that cause pain!"

"I don't have enough energy to do that spell," Leonard explained. He turned to Mr. Mime. "All right my apprentice, take them out with Psybeam." Mr. Mime fired his attack at Bulbasaur. The attack did super-effective damage, sending the Grass/Poison-type crashing into Ella.

"Oh my head," Ella groaned. She went limp on the ground.

"Karate Chop on Magnemite," Sugar ordered. Mankey slammed his hand down on Magnemite's face, knocking out the Electric/Steel-type. Mankey made sure to snatch the two extra Pokéballs from Scarlett's belt.

"Give those back," Scarlett snapped. "What do you need that package for?!"

"Uh," Sugar said awkwardly. "Let's open it and find out." She pulled a nail-file out of her pocket and sliced the box open. She pulled out two PokéDexes. "Now what are this button machines?"

"PokéDexes?" Scarlett said in surprise. "But why would he have me pick up PokéDexes if he makes them in his lab?"

"Shadow Ball!" Sammy ordered. The attack hit Mr. Mime. The walls of the Trick Room quivered. Things might not be going so badly after all.

* * *

Topher and Max wrestled on the floor for the device that the Team Drama member was using. It was mostly a one-sided battle, Rattata and Topher easily outnumbering him. Max still had an iron grip on the device. Topher was running out of ideas to get it, until Rattata waved his tail on Max's noise. The villain began to giggle and suddenly he was rolling on the floor with laughter.

"You aren't even touching him anymore," Topher remarked to Rattata, who shrugged. Topher sighed and stomped on the device. It smashed into several pieces.

"You fool!" Max cried. "You will pay for what you have- he he, ha, Aha ha ha!" Rattata was once again tickling Max's face with his tail. Topher rolled his eyes and looked over at the Trick Room. Leonard had his hand pointing at Eevee, who was floating in the air. Behind him and Sugar was Mr. Mime, he seemed to be one actually levitating Eevee. Suddenly, Eevee was thrown into the glass table.

"Eevee!" Sammy cried as the table shattered into tons of pieces. She knelt by her starter, glass cutting into her knees.

"Oh no, Sammy!" Topher yelled.

"Your only choice is to join Team Drama," Sugar said. "Or we'll make sure even a Pokémon Center can't fix you up!"

"Mankey!" Sugar's Pokémon agreed evilly. Sammy looked like she was just about ready to join them for the sake of her Pokémon.

"I know you never listen to me," Topher said to the Pokéball had had failed to send back to his aunt, "but Chris McLean would never let his posse get hurt, so neither will I." A purple spectral Pokémon with a gaseous body and two disembodied hands floated out of the ball. She flew at the Trick Room and passed through the walls. "All right!"

Haunter curled her left hand into a fist. It became surrounded in spiritual energy. Haunter let out a cackle as she punched Mr. Mime in the stomach, knocking him to the floor. The walls of the trick room shattered and disappeared. Topher rushed over to help Ella to her feet. Sammy slowly stood up, cradling Eevee in her hands. They all stared at the Team Drama trio.

Now realizing that they're last Pokémon was Mankey, Sugar quickly returned the Fighting-type to his ball. "You know, now that we've gotten what we came here for..."

"Take that!" Max shouted, throwing one of the PokéDexes at Topher. Topher ducked and the PokeDex broke as it hit the ground. "Ha ha! Now we've got the only one!"

"You dopey-eyed city kid!" Sugar yelled. "We had the only two. You just made things bad for us!"

"Oh," Max replied.

"Let's get out of here before we have nothing to bring back to the boss," Leonard said. "Smokescreen!" He dropped a smoke bomb onto the ground. There was a lot of coughing coming from inside the cloud, but when it cleared they were gone.

"They got away," Topher said in disappointment.

Scarlett nodded solemnly. "I'm not sure what was so important about that PokéDex that it had to be shipped here, but it's not good that it's in the hands of those...idiots. But we have more important matters."

Nurse Joy walked over them with a pink egg-shaped Pokémon named Chansey. "Thank you for fighting off those criminals. I'm sorry they got away with whatever they stole from you."

"It wasn't your fault," Scarlett replied curtly. "Have you ever heard of Team Drama?"

The nurse shook her head. "I've only been in Kanto for a few months, but I've never heard of them until now. Maybe you could ask my third cousin in Pewter City. Anyway, allow me to heal all of your Pokémon." She took Eevee, Magnemite, Rattata, Haunter, Bulbasaur, and even Ella back to the operating rooms.

"That's the second time Eevee's gotten hurt and there was nothing I could do about it," Sammy said after a tense silence. "This isn't what I left home for. I didn't leave so I could be attacked by thieves and getting lost in tall grass. I left so I could get away from someone that wanted to hurt me, not find other people with the same intent."

"I didn't sign up for this either," Topher replied. "I figured that by now I'd at least be in Cerulean City signing autographs. But that's life. My aunt told me before I left that I had to make the most of this journey. I didn't listen to her because I was too excited about filming the  _Topher Show_. But think about what we did today. Team Drama could have really hurt someone today, and we might have stopped it. Ella got hurt today, and I don't think she left Sinnoh for that. But when she gets better she'll be back to singing and dancing."

"If she gets better," Scarlett reminded him. Topher glared at her. "Well I suppose there's only 13.4% chance she suffered major brain damage."

"Not helping," Topher muttered. "Look Sammy, we'll be fine. The Pokémon Center has free rooms for Trainers. After a good night's sleep we'll be back on the road."

Sammy smiled. "Yeah, thanks Topher."

"Don't mention it," Topher replied. "I'm going to go send Haunter back to my aunt. She still doesn't seem to like me...Haunter, not my aunt!" He walked off towards the Trade Machine. "Yeah Topher, you're one awesome host."

* * *

Meanwhile, Team Drama had snuck over to the Viridian City Pokémon Gym. Awaiting them on the top floor was an office. Inside that office was their boss. The boss of Team Drama made sure nobody could see his face by wearing a yellow mask with an expressionless face. Sugar, Leonard, and Max stared nervously as the man (his gender was the only thing certain about him) inspected the PokéDex. "And this was all that was in the parcel, correct?" They all exchanged nervous glances. "Perhaps I wasn't clear," the man continued, his voice filled with venom. "Am I correct in assuming this was the only thing in the package?"

"U-um, no sir," Leonard mumbled. "There was second PokéDex, but it broke during our mission."

"FOOL!" The man shouted. Leonard jumped back to hide behind Sugar. "Professor Oak made the order in absolute secrecy with the utmost urgency. You don't often see that in a Pokémon Professor. And now, because of you, we only have half of what I need. If you had failed I would have dismissed you from Team Drama and had you all killed."

"What do you plan on doin' with us?" Sugar asked, before adding, "Sir."

"You have a new mission," the boss explained. "Ever heard of Mt. Moon? It's the only major source of Moon Stones in the world. Go there and bring back as many Moon Stones as you can. And if you fail...well I hope you remember that nobody else knows who or where you are." With that, he sent them out of his office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a blast to write. I did have some trouble with Max's Pokemon, so I opted for him not to have any yet.  
> Sneak peak for next chapter.
> 
> Next time on Dramas of a Pokémon Journey!  
> It's Scarlett's last day before she journeys back to Pallet Town!  
> Ella: So what should we do to celebrate?  
> Scarlett: Oh nothing big, it's not like I'm graduating college.  
> But there plans take a different turn.  
> Topher: Wow, a real member of the Elite Four!  
> When Scarlett meets her match!  
> ???: I fail to see how your intelligence even begins to compete with mine, but I suppose we shall put that to the test.


	5. Two Minds Collide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Scarlett's last day in Viridian City with our heroes. But in the middle of their celebration, Scarlett meets someone who sparks a big conflict.

Scarlett had always been an early riser. Her family had always told her she had been born with a coffee cup in hand. Of course this was impossible because coffee cups couldn't exist in the womb without causing extreme damage to the unborn baby and the expecting mother. Scarlett sat in the lobby of the Pokémon Center thinking of how she was going to explain things to Professor Oak. She had been given the simplest of tasks and she had failed. Still, it was a mystery as to why Professor Oak had ordered in PokéDexes. He had always chose to make them in his lab so he could feel a sense of pride whenever he handed them out to new Trainers. Maybe the PokéDexes were special.

"I have to tell him eventually," Scarlett said to herself. She stood up and walked to one of the video phones. She dialed Professor Oak's number. He answered on the third ring.

"Oh hello Scarlett," he said happily. "I assume you're in Viridian City now. Have you gotten the package from the PokéMart yet?"

"I did yesterday," she said. "Only there was a problem. At the Pokémon Center we were attacked by these people who said they were a part of something called Team Drama." Oak's expression darkened. "I'm sorry sir, but one of the PokéDexes inside the package was destroyed and the other one was taken."

"Those PokéDexes were equipped with the most advanced identification and informational technology," Oak explained. "They cost more than all of Pallet Town. If one of them broke it could be repaired. If one fell into the wrong hands-"

"Please don't be upset," Scarlett begged. "We tried fighting them. They were down to one last Pokémon when they just ran away."

"Of course I'm upset," Oak replied. "Scarlett this package was important to me, to researchers everywhere. You told me you could handle it. I want you back at the lab by nightfall."

"Yes sir," Scarlett said solemnly before ending the call. She put her head in her hands and groaned. I guess I won't be able to continue traveling with the others. I just hope they can handle being without me. At that moment, Topher, Ella, and Sammy all walked down the stairs from the rooms on the second floor.

"Good morning Scarlett," Ella said sweetly.

"Good morning Ella," Scarlett mumbled. "How's your head feeling?"

"Much better. Nurse Joy and Chansey fixed it up right away."

"Good. I realized that I need to leave for Pallet Town today, so I think it would be nice if we all did something together. Unless you'd just prefer I left now." Scarlett really hoped that they wouldn't make her leave now.

"We can't let you leave without a celebratory send-off!" Ella cried. "So what should we do to celebrate?"

"Oh nothing big," Scarlett replied. "It's not like I'm graduating college."

"Why don't we take her shopping?" Sammy asked. "She didn't go with us yesterday, and it was fun."

"I've never gone shopping with others before," Scarlett admitted. "Professor Oak usually has me do the errands by himself-"

"SHOPPING SPREE!" Ella squealed. "And Scarlett gets to pick where we go. Are we going to the salon, the frozen yogurt shop, or-"

"The PokéMart?" Ella said in disappointment.

"The PokéMart is full of useful items for Trainers," Scarlett explained. She then frowned. "If you'd like for us to go somewhere else that's fine by me."

"No no no," Ella said quickly. "This is your day. Let's go."

The PokéMart actually wasn't that bad. Ella ended up finding some Pokémon food that was made specifically for Grass-types like her Bulbasaur. Scarlett seemed much happier now that she was in her element. The redhead breezed through the aisles, filling a shopping cart being pushed by Topher. Sammy listened carefully as Scarlett explained each item.

"Repels are perfect for keeping away pesky Pokémon such as Zubat, which you'll find in almost every cave in Kanto. The special chemical compounds deter even the foulest of Poison-types and the strongest of Dragon-types." She tossed two bottles into the cart.

"They also deplete the ozone layer and damage the respiratory systems of anything that inhales too much," said an intelligent voice. They all turned around and saw a young woman standing in the middle of the aisle. She had red hair several shades lighter than Scarlett, tied up in a bun. Small yellow glasses were perched on the tip of her nose. She wore a strange top and skirt made of different green materials. She was frowning at Scarlett. "Greetings carbon-based lifeforms commonly referred to as Scarlett, Samantha, Ella, and Topher. This is Brainzilla talking to you and while Brainzilla would love to say it is a pleasure to meet you, that would be lying."

The three girls exchanged confused glances, but Topher began jumping up and down in excitement. "Wow, a real member of the Elite Four!"

"Elite Four?" Sammy repeated.

"They're sort of the government of the Kanto region," Scarlett said cynically. "Not that they really do much but look good on camera."

The woman, who seemed to refer to herself as Brainzilla, glared at Scarlett. "Brainzilla will have you know that she works hard to protect the environments of Kanto that are being polluted by items such as Repels. An illiterate, so-called Trainer such as yourself would not understand."

The extra Repel Scarlett had grabbed was tossed aside. "You did not just call me illiterate," Scarlett snarled, getting up in Brainzilla's face.

"Yes Brainzilla did," she confirmed. "Brainzilla also recommends breath mints."

"How dare you?!" Scarlett screeched. "You seemed different on the news. Less uptight, more adventurous, more worthy of your title. Well Brainzilla, if that is your real name, I challenge you to a battle!"

Topher gasped but Brainzilla merely shrugged. "I fail to see how your intelligence even begins to compete with mine, but I suppose we shall put that to the test. Meet me at the battlefield in ten minutes. Do not be late." With that, Brainzilla left the PokéMart.

"She's crazy," Topher said to Sammy and Ella. They were waiting outside the Pokémon Center where Scarlett was getting ready inside. Topher was pacing back and worth. "Elite Four members are usually only challenged after a Trainer receives all eight Gym Badges. Even still, you have to get through Victory Road. Then you have to defeat all four of them without going to a Pokémon Center, and then there's the Champion who is even stronger."

"Are all Elite Four members as strange as Brainzilla?" Sammy asked. Topher shook his head.

"No, the members of the Pokémon League are all respectable people. Each one of them has a specific job. And the odd thing is, I don't think her real name is Brainzilla. I think it's something else, but I don't know what."

"I fear that Scarlett will lose this battle," Ella admitted.

"Don't count me out just yet," Scarlett said, exiting the Pokémon Center. Her three friends stared at her with their mouths wide open. Scarlett had changed into a whole new person. Her hair was now spread out and sticking up in the front. She wore a tight red top with a black stripe around the waist. Her shorts were darker and she had a black and red handbag at her hip. Her glasses were gone as well. The only thing that remained of the old Scarlett was her shoes. "Don't get too excited, I'm only wearing this while I crush this so-called Brainzilla."

They followed her in silence to the battlefield. Brainzilla was already waiting. She looked Scarlett up and down. "Nice outfit," she said in monotone. "I trust your gentleman friend will be our referee." Topher blushed and stood outside the battlefield. "Excellent. Girls," Sammy and Ella flinched as Brainzilla turned to them, "please choose a side on the bleachers." Obviously they sat on Scarlett's side.

Scarlett stood on the blue side of the battlefield, the challenger side. Her hands were clenched into fists. She radiated anger and determination. Everything about her seemed different. Her posture was not as straight and she no longer maintained her calm façade. Brainzilla stood comfortably on the red side. Her professional stature and prideful gaze staring down Scarlett as if she were a frog being prepared for dissection. Both young women held a Pokéball in their right hand.

Topher stood nervously outside of the battlefield. He too could sense that something bad could happen from this battle. Still, he kept a brave face. "This is a one-on-one Pokémon Battle. The first side to have all of their Pokémon knocked out is declared the loser." He took a deep breath. "Let the battle begin!" At the same time, both battlers sent out their Pokémon.

"Tangela, be alert for anything!"

"Magnemite assemble!"

Scarlett soon threw out two more Pokéballs. All of her Magnemite materialized. As Brainzilla began to protest, they joined together and created a flash of blue light. Now in their place was a Magneton. In Sammy's opinion, Magneton looked exactly like three Magnemites attached to each other. They created electrical hums in unison.

"Magneton," it droned in a robotic voice.

Tangela was just as strange as her trainer. She was a mess of thick, blue vines with a pair of red, boot-like feet. Peering out of the vines was a pair of wide eyes. Sammy could see nothing but darkness through the vines, which seemed to move even when Tangela was standing still.

"Tangela," it squealed in a high pitched tone. Brainzilla and Scarlett seemed to be sizing one another up. Sammy used this opportunity to scan Tangela and Magnemite with her PokéDex.

Magneton, the Magnet Pokémon.The Magnemite are united by a magnetism so powerful, it dries all moisture in its vicinities.

Tangela, the Vine Pokémon. Its identity is obscured by masses of thick, blue vines. The vines are said to never stop growing.

"Thunderbolt," Scarlett said suddenly. Magneton fired a strong blast of lightning straight towards Tangela.

"Dodge," Brainzilla said with a fake yawn. To Sammy's surprise, Tangela leaped into the air, agilely dodging the attack. "Now use Leech Seed." Tangela shook her head rapidly, launching three small seeds into the air. They landed on each of the three Magnemites and began to drain energy for Tangela.

"SonicBoom!" All six magnet tips fired arcs of white light at Tangela. The Grass-type dodged four of the arcs, but was hit with the last two. "Now paralyze it with Thunder Wave!" A weak jolt of electricity was fired toward Tangela. Brainzilla's lip curled.

"Growth," she commanded. Tangela closed her eyes and began to glow with a green aura. The Thunder Wave dispersed upon contact with Tangela's vines.

"Why didn't that work?" Ella asked.

"My Tangela has the ability Leaf Guard," Brainzilla explained. "When the sunlight is intense, she is unable to have status ailments inflicted on her. Growth is an attack that uses sunlight to increase chlorophyll products, boosting the Attack and Special Attack stats. This also activates Leaf Guard and other sun related abilities. Now my beautiful Tangela, use Vine Whip!" Two blue vines shot out towards Magneton, smacking the Electric/Steel-type in the face. "Again!"

"Magnet Rise," Scarlett ordered. Magneton's magnets all pointed at the ground. They released a large amount of magnetism, shooting Magneton high into the sky where Tangela's vines couldn't reach.

"Do you really think your Magneton is untouchable up there?" Brainzilla asked. "Well my dear, you have much to learn about the move Natural Gift." Tangela shook her body and a strange fruit dropped out of the vines. It was shaped like an apricot, but half of it was blue and the other half was green. It had a small yellow stem. "The Apicot Berry turns Natural Gift into a Ground-type move, something you're weak against!" The berry glowed green and was absorbed by Tangela.

"Tangl-a!" The Vine Pokémon screeched. Large clumps of soil erupted out of the ground and flew towards Magneton.

"Use your ability to block it!" Scarlett cried.

"What?!" Brainzilla said in surprise. Magneton began to whirr and hum louder than before. A trashcan sitting against a brick wall several meters behind Brainzilla started to shake. The can and the lid flew towards the battlefield. Brainzilla turned and-

CRASH! Brainzilla was hit full on by the trash can. Everyone except for Scarlett, Magneton, and Tangela rushed towards the Elite Four member. Sammy noticed that Brainzilla's hair was no longer in a neat bun, but now in wild tangles that went past her shoulders. Her glasses were missing as well.

"Are you all right Brainzilla?" Sammy asked worriedly. Scarlett seemed to be panicking from her spot on the battlefield. Killing an Elite Four member was serious business.

"Who?" Said a voice that sounded like Brainzilla. The girl that resembled her hopped off of the ground. "Oh yeah, Brainzilla's been out for a while. Oh well, now it's time for her nap." Everyone stared at her. "Hi, I'm Izzy! You know; Grass-type Elite Four, 'Nature's Wild Child', world renowned environmentalist, and Kanto's #3 Hottest Trainer?"

Topher face-palmed. "Of course! Izzy Gairdín is naturally crazy and will often slip into personas every time she suffers severe head trauma."

"Yeah, but sometimes I can do it on command," Izzy added. "So where were we?" She looked over at Scarlett and Tangela. "Oh right, Brainzilla was battling you. Wow, that must have been intense. When she battles she gets all, 'you have to be serious' 'Izzy, quit trying to enjoy the battle and just crush them'. BORING! Izzy likes danger, excitement, explosions!"

"She just attempted to use a Ground-type Natural Gift after I used Magnet Rise," Scarlett explained. "Clearly she wasn't as smart as she claimed."

"Whoa, I'm getting some serious vibes from this one," Izzy said to the others. She turned to Scarlett. "I believe Brainzilla was attempting to force you to show all of your cards. You weren't thinking about the Ground-type move at the time, but only dodging it. It was just one more piece of the puzzle that makes up your battling style. That's great and all, but I would have just rolled with it. Someone told me that life's too short and you have to enjoy it. I'm pretty sure he was drunk when he said it, I know I was, but you get the point."

"She's totally insane isn't she," Sammy said to Ella. "Sorry," she then added a little louder.

"Don't worry about it," Izzy replied. "I'm an Elite Four member. Do you know the kinds of things people call me after they lose? Not to brag, but I used to be the third Elite Four member. Then they adopted the whole system of letting Trainers choose who fights them. Now you have a bunch of pyromaniacs fighting me first because they think they can just burn me to the ground. Oh how I do enjoy those battles."

"Can we please get on with the battle?" Scarlett asked impatiently.

Izzy sighed. "Fine! You know, you and Brainzilla would be best friends."

"That will never happen," Scarlett said curtly. "Magneton, use Thunder Wave."

"Mess up its aim with Confusion," Izzy cackled. Tangela closed her eyes and glowed with a pink aura. Magneton's three 'eyes' winced and fired a Thunder Wave towards the ground.

"These moves can't be legal!" Scarlett snapped. "I've studied basic movesets and Tangela are incapable of Leech Seed, Natural Gift, and Confusion. Magneton, take this cheating tumbleweed out with Thunderbolt!"

"TON!" Droned the Magnet Pokémon. It fired a devastating bolt of lightning at Tangela, who was unable to dodge.

Izzy laughed a dangerous laugh. "First of all, you did not just call my Tangela a 'cheating tumbleweed'. Second, I'd expand your knowledge into Egg Moves. If a Tangela and an Exeggutor produce an egg, the Tangela can learn all three of those moves. Brainzilla would say something like, 'the Exeggutor was able to pass down certain tactics and even a small amount of phytokinetic power'. That's just a fancy way of saying LEAF STORM!"

Leaves from the nearby trees began to glow and rush towards Magneton, enveloping it in a vortex of sharpened leaves.

"Don't let up on the Thunderbolt," Scarlett ordered.

Izzy shook her head. "Brainzilla really made things easy for me, which sort of takes the fun out of it. Tangela's strength is far greater than your Magneton's. Nobody's used the level system since the War of Separation, but Tangela's level would at least be double the level of your Magneton. So not only are my attacks strong, but you also have the Leech Seed sapping away as much of your health as it can and giving it back to me." At the moment, the lightning stopped. An object tangled in a mass of plants fell out of the leaf vortex and hit the ground with a thud.

Scarlett gasped when she realized it was her Magneton. "No! How could I have been so stupid, challenging an Elite Four like that? I was manipulated, tricked, and then defeated." Scarlett sank to her knees. Sammy didn't know what to think as she, Topher, and Ella walked towards her. This wasn't the cool, confident Scarlett Sammy had met. This was something…familiar. This Scarlett was more like Sammy: Unprofessional, emotional, and nervous.

"You did your best," Sammy comforted. "You never let up on attacking."

"That was probably the most exciting battle I've seen," Ella added.

Scarlett smiled weakly. "Thank you. I told you before I do not have much time to train, so my confidence turned to ignorance." She stood up and looked at Izzy. "Congratulations. You did excellent." Izzy gave her a look that was asking for more. "Oh, and it was fun too," Scarlett added with an awkward laugh.

"That's all that matters," Izzy grinned. "Well I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. Oh, I know this great restaurant just around this corner. My friend Big O and I used to come here every day before he moved to Sinnoh. They serve the best burgers outside of Fuchsia City."

"Is that where you're from?" Sammy asked as the five of them walked down the street.

Izzy nodded. "Yeah, my dad works as a warden for the Safari Zone. He used to take me out working with him when I was little. That's where I got most of my Pokémon when I was a Trainer."

They arrived at the restaurant, which was called Billy's BBQ Boat. The inside was themed like an ocean-side café. The manager remembered Izzy from years ago and treated her and the others to free burgers. It was at that moment that Sammy said she had never actually had a hamburger before.

"And they say I'm crazy!" Izzy cried. "Get this girl a burger with everything on it! Except mayonnaise. I don't like mayonnaise and neither will you. Oh, and don't cheat us on the fries!"

After eating some of the best food she had ever tasted, Sammy began to notice that Scarlett hadn't spoken a word since they entered the restaurant. When they had first arrived the braniac had gone to the restroom and changed into her normal outfit. Now she seemed to be picking at her food.

"Is everything all right?" Sammy asked.

Scarlett shrugged. "I told Professor Oak what happened yesterday about Team Drama-"

Izzy's burger fell out of her hands and onto her plate. "Did you say Team Drama?" Scarlett nodded. Izzy's voice fell to a whisper. "What I'm about to tell you is top secret Elite Four business."

"So why are you telling us?" Sammy asked.

"Because you seem like fun people," Izzy said. "Anyway, the Kanto Pokémon League's been dealing with an organization that goes by the same name. These guys are super weird. They mostly steal research equipment and visit some of the more remote areas of Kanto. We can't track them and we can't seem to figure out what they do at the different areas. My job in the Elite Four is to keep tabs on the environment, so I need to make sure these guys aren't hurting Pokémon or the places they live. I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary but we still need all the help we can get."

"They attacked us yesterday," Topher explained. "They stole a package from Scarlett and ruined my hair."

"What was in the package?" Izzy asked.

"Two really advanced PokéDexes," Scarlett replied. "Professor Oak was really upset that one of them was stolen and the other was broken, which is why he wants me back in Pallet Town by nightfall." She glanced down at her PokéDex. "I better head out now!" She got out of her chair. "Thank you for the battle Izzy." She turned to Sammy, Topher, and Ella. "Good luck you guys. Contact me as soon as you reach Pewter City." With that she left the restaurant. Sammy, Topher, and Ella felt sad that their friend, whom had guided them along the way to Viridian City, was now leaving. The each waved to her from the window of the restaurant.

Izzy sighed. "Ah, reminds me of when I was a Trainer. So who wants dessert?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My favorite part of this chapter is the ending, because it's so cute. Also, here's the sneak peak for next chapter.
> 
> Next time on Dramas of a Pokémon Journey!
> 
> Ah, Viridian Forest. Such a nice place to commune with nature.  
> Sammy: It's beautiful here.  
> Unless you've got a crazy twin sister.  
> Amy: Hey sis! Welcome to my forest.  
> Sammy: Your forest?  
> Amy: That's right, mine! As in not yours!  
> Will Sammy fight back, and what is up with Ella?  
> Ella: Hello there- AH!


	6. My Sister's Bee-Keeper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah Viridian Forest. Such a peaceful way to commune with nature...unless you have psychotic twin sister planning your early demise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this took way too long to right. Sorry, but I've been really busy. I'm hoping I'm getting back into the swing of things now that school's been in session for a couple of months.

The Pidgey pecked innocently at the ground, searching for food. It was unaware it was being watched through the tall grass. Sammy gripped the Pokéball tightly in her hand. "Three...two…one." Eevee dashed out of the grass and towards the Pidgey. The Normal/Flying-type screeched and flew into the air. Eevee jumped up but was unable to catch the bird.

"Pidgey," it cooed as it flew away. Eevee fired a Shadow Ball at it to scare it off.

Sammy sighed and sat down on the ground. This was the third Pidgey she had attempted to catch and the third time she had failed. Topher pressed the stop button on his Dex and deleted the recording.

"Don't worry," he said awkwardly. " _The Topher Show_  will need some fillers for when I'm not doing anything exciting." Sammy gave him a forced smile. "You've been working so hard with Eevee since we left Viridian City, I'm kind of surprised you haven't caught anything."

"We just aren't fast enough," Sammy replied. "We've always been slow. When Amy would challenge us to a race we'd always lose. She's been in the Pokéathlon since she left on her journey and now she can catch anything she wants."

"You aren't Amy," Topher reminded her. Sammy had a habit of blaming her failures on not being as good as her sister. "Pidgeys aren't that great anyway. Everyone that starts out at Pallet Town catches one and ends up putting it in the PC once they catch something better. We're almost to Viridian Forest, which is crawling with Bug-types. Maybe you'll catch something in there."

At that moment, Ella walked over to them with her Ponyta. The horse-like Pokémon happily grazed on the grass. Ella had been taking it riding every morning since they had left Viridian and they had already formed a special bond. "Hello dear friends. Sammy, were you successful in capturing a Pidgey?" Sammy shook her head. "Oh, I'm sorry. Perhaps a song would cheer you up?"

"No thank you Ella," Sammy replied. "I don't really need to catch a Pokémon yet, I just want to be like you guys. I love Eevee, but it seems like so much fun to have more than one Pokémon." She stroked her starter behind the ears." Topher and Ella exchanged glances. She was right after all. Ella was thrilled to have a "steed fit for royalty" and Topher was already teaching his Rattata how to handle himself in battles. Sammy was worried that Eevee might start getting lonely with just her around, so she wanted to catch a friend for him.

"I think we're almost to Viridian Forest," Topher explained as they hiked down Route 2. "I wish we had stopped back at Route 22 before we left Viridian City. The Pokémon League entrance is there and I wanted to do a promo for the season finale of  _The Topher Show_. Like I was saying earlier, Viridian Forest is perfect for beginner Trainers. There's lots of battling experience and weak Pokémon to catch. Sometimes if you're really lucky, you'll catch a rare Bug-type."

"What makes it so rare?" Sammy asked.

"All Pokémon are technically rare," Said Topher. "They aren't usually waiting for you in a patch of tall grass. You have to spend lots of time searching for them. Battles are just the beginning of capturing. The rarest Bug-types are the hardest to find. Some Trainers go through Viridian Forest several times and never find them. I've heard tons of rumors about what Pokémon live there. Scyther, Pinsir, Venomoth, and tons of other Bug-types. Of course there are some Flying-types too and even an Electric-type." They stopped walking. In front of them was a humongous wall of trees. There was a small gap in the trunks that was big enough for them to squeeze through. "Well, it's now or never." He led the way into the forest.

Viridian Forest can be intimidating to new Trainers. The thick canopy blocks out most of the sunlight, leaving the forest floor dark. Bug-types scuttle around, creating all sorts of noises. Most of the Pokémon were harmless to the experienced.

Sammy took deep breaths and pretended that this didn't bother her. It was nature's never-ending joke that most of its creations were mazes. Still, she put on a brave face and followed Topher. The brunette was filming the various Pokémon crawling around the forest.

"It's beautiful here," Sammy said in a shaky voice. "How big is this forest?"

Topher shrugged. "Shouldn't take us more than a day or two. I think this would be a good place for you to try and catch a Pokémon."

"What?!" Sammy cried. "In here? We're so far away from a Pokémon Center!"

"You'll end up in places like that a lot," Ella pointed out. "Don't worry Sammy, you'll do great. The Pokémon in here are weaker than the ones on Route 2. Look, there's one!" She pointed at a green caterpillar Pokémon inching along the ground. Topher pointed his PokéDex at it.

Caterpie,the Worm Pokémon. Caterpie emits a horrible stench from the red horn on its head when frightened.

"Caterpie evolve really fast," Topher told them. "Their pretty too. Come on Sammy, what have you got to lose?"

Sammy rubbed her arm nervously. If only Scarlett were hear. She'd say something smart and she'd know just what to do.  _But Scarlett believes in you. Topher and Ella believe in you._ Sammy reached for Eevee's Pokéball and an empty one. "All right Eevee, Shadow Ball!" Ella clapped her hands happily as Eevee fired a blob of ectoplasm at the Bug-type.

"Pie!" Caterpie squealed as he was thrown into a tree. Sammy expanded the Pokéball in her hand and threw it.

"Pin Missile!" A voice snarled from behind them. A large white barb pierced the Pokéball, shattering it to pieces. The trio spun around to see a Trainer and her Beedrill.

"Amy?!" Sammy gasped.

"Hey sis, welcome to  _my_  forest," the older twin taunted.

"Your forest?" Sammy challenged. Eevee joined her at her side.

"That's right," Amy replied, "mine! As in not yours!" Her Beedrill buzzed loudly. It was a large wasp-like Pokémon with piercing red eyes and sharper spines for hands.

"What are you doing here?" Sammy asked angrily.

Amy scoffed. "The annual Pewter City Carnival is coming up in a couple of weeks and I was invited as a guest judge for the Pokeathlon that's being held there. I'm not surprised you didn't hear about it. Anyway, I thought I'd take the scenic route. Thought maybe I'd see my sister and her loser friends. Although I'm surprised you're only in Viridian Forest. What, did you stay a few nights in Viridian City? Ha! When I went on my journey I was at Pewter by nightfall, and with a full team on my belt. And you're hear trying to catch a Caterpie. You're a disgrace to the Hill family!"

Sammy took a few steps towards her sister. "At least I don't have to scare everyone into liking me?" SLAP! Amy's hand struck Sammy in the face. The younger blonde stared at her sister in shock.

"EEVEE!" The Normal-type cried as he sprinted towards Amy. A white trail of light followed behind him. The Evolution Pokémon slammed into Amy's stomach, sending her sprawling back.

"Drill!" Beedrill droned, flying towards Eevee. He was met with a face-full of turtle shell. Topher had sent out Squirtle.

Amy picked up Eevee and tossed him aside. "Oh, is it a fight you want? Then go right ahead. Beedrill, use Poison Jab." Beedrill's hands glowed purple. He thrust them forward towards Sammy and Squirtle.

"Ember," Ella ordered. Ponyta spat fired at the Bug/Poison-type, knocking it back. A small fire started on its wings, causing it a small amount of pain. Sammy and Squirtle back away from Amy. Eevee joined the group.

"Beedrill," Amy hissed, slowly getting up, "do your worst."

"Bee-Drill!" He screeched shooting up into a tree. The branches rustled and suddenly a swarm of Beedrill flew out of the tree. The buzzing noise filled their part of Viridian Forest. Amy laughed maniacally.

"Destroy that stupid ball of fur," she ordered.

"Take Eevee and ride," Topher said, throwing the Normal-type to Ella. The singing princess looked nervously at the approaching Beedrill. She turned around and hopped onto Ponyta. They dashed off in one direction. Topher grabbed Sammy's hand and they ran in the opposite direction.

"Don't stop until you've caught them!" Amy shouted.

Sammy and Topher sprinted through the thick trees. The buzzing did not stop. Sammy didn't want to turn around and risk slowing them down.

Topher released Squirtle into his hand. "All right buddy, take them out!" He tossed Squirtle over his shoulder and watched as it passed through a Beedrill. "What the?" The Beedrill disappeared and was replaced by another. "It's a Double Team! Squirtle use Bubble!"

Squirtle stuck his arms and legs out his shell and blasted a loud wad of foamy bubbles at the clones. A large portion of them disappeared. Beedrill realized his trick had failed and dove down at them. Topher pulled Sammy to the side and they hid in the hollow of a tree. Beedrill flew past looking for them.

"We have a little time," he explained. They were both breathing heavily and were crammed extremely close together. "I found this tree when I made my way to Pallet Town. Now where did Squirtle go?" The Water type in question jumped into the tree shortly after being mentioned.

"Squirtle," he said proudly.

Beedrill flew around outside, making menacing buzzing noises. Topher lifted up Squirtle so his head was poking out of the tree. Squirtle made a gargling sound and fired a blast of bubbles at the wasp Pokémon. The bubbles struck Beedrill in the face, some of them sticking to his wings.

"He'll be slowed down now," Topher observed. Beedrill turned to them and fired two Pin Missiles. "Move!" He pushed Sammy out of the tree and grabbed Squirtle just as the pins hit it, creating a large white explosion.

"Maybe it thinks we were in there," Sammy whispered as they crawled to a large oak tree. Nope! Beedrill burst out from behind a bush, jabbing at the Trainers and Squirtle with poisoned stingers.

"Climb!" Topher cried. Hoisting Sammy up. She sprung off of his hands and quickly reached a high branch. Topher stood there, stunned by her agility.

"Look out!" Sammy screamed. Topher jumped up to avoid getting jabbed by Beedrill. Sammy grabbed his hand and hoisted him up. They climbed up past the leaves and into the network of branches hidden to most people in the forest. "This tree is huge!" Once they reached a branch that was several meters off the ground they stopped to rest.

Beedrill entered the maze of branches. "Bubble!" Topher yelled. Squirtle shot more bubbles at the Bug/Poison-type. He fired a Pin Missile in anger. Topher required his starter and the pin whizzed harmlessly past, striking a tree behind them. Beedrill focused his aim on Sammy and fired three pins at her. Topher dropped down and hugged the branch. Sammy on the other hand did a back hand spring to avoid the attack.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Topher asked in awe.

"My sister's Pokeathlon competitions are always aired on TV," Sammy explained. "I might have tried to imitate some of the moves she did." Sammy leaped into the air and landed on a higher branch. She stepped back to get some balance.

"Caterpie!" A tiny Bug-type squealed as Sammy almost stepped on it. The surprised blonde jumped towards the end of the branch. With a snap the branch broke and sent both of them falling towards the ground.

"Sammy!" Topher screamed. He couldn't do anything as they fell.

To Sammy it felt as if everything was happening in slow motion. She turned to see Caterpie fire a thick thread towards a branch. She instinctively grabbed the Worm Pokémon and felt herself yanked upward as the thread wrapped around a branch and held tight. Caterpie wriggled in her grip but Sammy held on. She needed to swing towards another branch, so she began kicking back and forth to gain some momentum.

Higher up, Beedrill was heading straight for Topher. "Get back!" Sammy cried. Topher took a step back, but realized there was nothing to step onto a few seconds too late. He was soon falling through the air. By this time Sammy was swinging back and forth. "Just a little farther…" She grabbed Topher's hand. They swung back and forth for a few seconds.

"That was amazing," he laughed. "You're like an acrobat!" Sammy blushed, not used to the praise. She deposited Topher on a lower branch. Beedrill had flown down to search for bodies, and was surprised not to find any. "What are you going to do?" Topher asked nervously.

Sammy frowned. "What I have to do." She kicked off of the branch, still holding onto the Caterpie. She swung towards Beedrill and kicked out her legs. She collided with the Poison Bee Pokémon and tugged on the Caterpie. The string snapped and all three of them hit a thick branch. Sammy held on as Beedrill fell onto the ground. She grunted and pulled herself up to the branch. Exhausted, she leaned against the trunk of the tree.

"Pie!" The Caterpie said as he finally wormed his way out of her grip. He inched slowly towards the end of the branch.

"Wait," Sammy said, "I still need you." Caterpie ignored her. "Fine, we'll do this the hard way." She pulled out a Pokéball and threw it at the Caterpie. The ball opened up and ensnared Caterpie in a flash of red light. The ball fell onto the branch and began to shake.

Shake

Shake

Shake

Click! Sammy sighed in relief. She stood up and took a step forward. TWANG! "What the?" The sleeve of Sammy's shirt was pinned to the tree by a glowing purple barb. She pulled on her sleeve but it stayed stuck to the bark.

"Drill," Beedrill buzzed as he slowly rose to Sammy's height. His pincers glowed bright purple. Sammy was reminded of the times Amy had cornered her when they were little. Fighting back had only made things worse back at home…but this wasn't home.

"Back off!" Sammy snapped, aiming a kick at Beedrill's face. He cried out in agony. Sammy tore her sleeve and dove to grab the Pokéball. Caterpie was thrown out of the sphere and spat string in Beedrill's eyes. This was a simple reaction out of fear, but it served its purpose. Sammy recalled Caterpie and did a backflip off of the branch. She landed next to Topher, who helped steady her.

"You're hurt," he said, pointing to a large cut through the tear in her sleeve. Sammy shrugged. It was starting to sting, but she ignored it. Beedrill was still blinded by the string in his eyes, so all he could do was blindly fire Pin Missiles and hope he'd hit something. One of the pins hit the base of a branch above him. The tree limb crashed down onto Amy's Pokémon and landed on the ground.

"It worked," Sammy said in amazement.

"You planned that?" Topher asked in shock. Sammy shook her head.

"No, but I figured that if he couldn't see we'd at least be able to get away from him." They descended down to the ground. "We should probably go find Ella."

"Are you sure we shouldn't do something about your cut?" The scrape had turned a concerning shade of purple. Sammy winced as the stinging began to increase.

"I'm fine," Sammy reassured as they walked off into the trees. Beedrill was still stuck under the large branching, twitching as he struggled to move. "I'm just really glad we stopped Amy."

Topher nodded in agreement. "Well we haven't failed yet. I wonder how Ella's doing."

* * *

 

Ella knew that there were no more Beedrill following her, but she and Ponyta continued through the forest. Eevee clung to her shoulder to prevent himself from falling off.  _Oh I do hope we can get out of this forest soon_ _._ Suddenly, a Pokémon ran out across the path. Ponyta reared back and whinnied in surprise. Ella calmed her steed and climbed off. A trembling yellow mouse Pokémon stood in the road. It had pointy ears and a lightning-bolt shaped tail.

"Pika!" It snarled as Ella approached it. She recognized it as a Pikachu, one of the Pokémon that had visited her grandfather's mansion. Ella decided to reach out and pet it.

"Hello there- AH!" A weak electric shock coursed through her body. Ella tensed up as she was attacked. Ponyta snorted and got ready for a fight. On the other end of the forest, Sammy collapsed onto the ground. Her entire body was covered in sweat and she was having trouble breathing. The trio was separated and in two different kinds of peril.

Elsewhere, Amy hiked through the forest. "Where is that over sized hornet?" She complained. "Stupid Sparemy and her dumb friends. They make me so mad!" She furiously kicked a large object. It flew through the air and hit the trunk of a tree. Amy recognized it as a Kakuna. Several more Cocoon Pokémon fell from the tree. They all began to break apart and glow. Amy knew what was going to come next.

"Oh shi-"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time on Dramas of a Pokémon Journey!  
> Our heroes are in big trouble!  
> Topher: Come on Sammy, get up!  
> Ella: Please, I'm not trying to hurt you.  
> But help may be on the way.  
> ?: We're the Elite League of Bug Catchers!


	7. The Elite League of Bug Catchers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sammy's been poisoned, and it doesn't look good. As Topher desperately searches for help, Team Drama is up to their old, EVIL tricks!

"Come on Sammy, get up!" Topher said desperately, shaking his blonde friend. Sammy shivered under his touch. Her eyes were closed and she was lying limp on the ground. Her hands were clammy as Topher looked around for anyone that might be able to help. They had been running into the deeper parts of the woods where even the annoying Bug Catcher seemed to be scarce. "Okay Tophy, just calm down." He sent out Rattata and Squirtle. Both of them were tired from their battle with Beedrill.

"Squirtle," the Water-type said in alarm at seeing Sammy on the ground. He drizzled cold water on the scrape on her shoulder which was a sickening purple. Sammy twitched.

"Don't do that!" Topher snapped. Squirtle looked hurt. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I'm just worried, that's all. We need to move her. I'm pretty sure I can lift her." He grunted as he scooped her up in his arm. She was surprisingly light. "Bet that Amy never let her eat. Poor girl. Come on guys, let's go."

They walked through the forest, unsure of where they were. Every so often they'd call out for Ella or somebody. Never Amy, though. Topher was beginning to sweat and get tired. He didn't say anything though. Squirtle was kindly blasting his face with cold water to help him keep his strength up.

"I bet my hair's a mess," Topher complained. Suddenly, his foot came into contact with a rock. The Chris Mclean fan fell flat on his face, dropping Sammy. "Oh come on!" He struggled to life her back up as Squirtle blasted him with more water. "I have no idea where we are." All the trees looked the same. "Is anybody out there?!"

Crack! Something stepped on a twig behind Topher. He spun around, but saw nothing. "Who's there?" Topher asked nervously. Squirtle and Rattata circled around him, ready to fight off anything that attacked. A collective noise began to fill the air. It was like the sound of several hundred wings beating together in rapid succession.

One by one, purple butterfly Pokémon emerged from the trees, grass, and shrubs. Topher recognized them was Butterfree. They all rushed at him, releasing sparkling blue powder form their wings. "Sleep Powder!" Topher cried. Squirtle and Rattata dashed towards the Bug/Flying-types, but didn't make it very far before they succumbed to sleep. Topher began to feel sleepy. He tried to reach into his bag, but ultimately collapsed on the forest floor as dark shadows began to surround him.

When Topher woke up, he was lying on a straw mat. A large wooden roof was over his head. He rolled over and saw Rattata curled up in a ball next to him. "Where am I?" Squirtle was in his shell next to Rattata. "And where's Sammy?"

"Is she your friend with the poisoning?" Someone asked. Topher turned around and saw a small boy who looked vaguely close to Topher's age. Yet his extremely weak frame and small size made him look a couple years younger. "Sorry if I startled you. I'm Cameron." Cameron had dark skin and really short brown hair. A red sweatshirt was tied around his waist and he was wearing a white t-shirt and orange shirts. Sitting beside him was a butterfly net.

"Topher," Topher replied. "Uh yeah, Sammy did get poisoned I think. By her own sister's Beedrill."

"I figured it was a Beedrill sting," Cameron admitted. "It was pretty strong too, but with some Pecha extract I was able to keep it at bay. She'll have to head to the Pokémon Center in Pewter City to be safe but at least there won't be any major tissue damage."

"How do you know?" Topher said in surprise.

"I've grown up around Bug-types all my life," Cameron explained. "When I was younger my mom was really overprotective. So she basically only let me be around Bug-types because their string made for protective coatings. I never got to do much except read and sigh a lot. But I plan on being a great doctor someday, for people and Pokémon. That's why I joined the ELOBC to make use of my skills."

"The ELOBC?" Topher had never heard the acronym before.

"The Elite League of Bug Catchers," Cameron answered. "We're Bug-type enthusiasts that have devoted our time and energy into showing the world that we aren't so easily squashed. We protect the secrets of the rare and exotic Bug-types from those who seek to do them harm- Are you filming me?"

Topher rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry, I've got my own reality show that I host and this makes for a killer two-part episode."

Cameron shook his head. "I suppose I am not one to judge the actions of others too harshly. Would you like to see your friend?" Topher nodded and attached his Dex to the strap of his bag so it could still record.

"I have to make up for a lack of filming. Things have been intense the past few days." Cameron secretly rolled his eyes. "Hey, what is this place?" As they left the hallway with its paper-thin walls, they entered a sort of courtyard with a gently Zen garden. The whole complex was designed like a pagoda.

"The ELOBC was founded in Johto," Cameron said. "So we honor the region by building our headquarters in the same style as those in ancient times. There's always one or two people who are bitter from the War of Separation, but most people respect our society."

"You make it sound like some sort of cult," Topher laughed nervously.

Cameron shrugged. "We are on independent organization. Our funding comes mostly from our home region, where those that respect Bug-types donate money."

"Are you from Johto?"

"Yes, I'm from New Bark Town. My mother and I moved to Kanto when I was three. Now we live in Pewter City." He led Topher out to a balcony overlooking the front of the building. Topher was surprised to see that they were still in the forest. On the ground below, many young men and women, children, and adults were lined up, looking warriors with butterfly nets in their hands. They began to go through various battle exercises in unison. Many of the older bug catchers had one Bug-type out with them. "We take training very seriously here."

"Why aren't you with them?"

Cameron laughed. "I'm not a traditional bug catcher. I help with ailments and provide them with intelligence. Come, I'll show you the infirmary."

The infirmary was large room full of cots and straw mats. Wooden tables were lined up in the back, littered with berries and other remedies. Three of the beds were surrounded by cotton sheets. Cameron lifted up the first one. Sammy was rest on a cot. Caterpie was on her shoulder. She smiled up at Topher. Topher was relieved she was okay.

"How are you feeling?" Cameron asked politely.

"Much better now," Sammy told him. "Thank you so much." She looked at Topher. "Hey…they said you carried me here. That was really nice of you."

Topher turned red, but realized the camera was still going. "Of course, made for a great chase scene." Sammy's smile faded and Topher realized he shouldn't have said that, even if he hadn't been recording during the desperate attempt to find help.

"Well thanks anyway," she said dejectedly. "I suppose if you had left me there the viewers would have been upset." She was about to say something else, but a moan rose from one of the other cots.

"My tummy feels wonky," a strangely familiar voice said. Topher couldn't quite figure out who it belonged too. Cameron took down the cotton sheets and both he and Sammy gasped. Leonard and Max were on the other two occupied cots.

"You!" Max snarled, forgetting about his stomach. Leonard, whose left arm was wrapped in a bandage, glared at them. "What are you doing here?"

"Team Drama?" Sammy said in surprise. "If you're looking for Scarlett, she's not with us."

Leonard shook his head. "We aren't here for you. We were on our way to our next mission when we were jumped by this monstrous Beedrill that looked like it had been crushed by a tree beforehand." Topher and Sammy exchanged glances. "These brave warriors saved my gremlin and I."

"A, point of information please," Cameron said.

"This is Team Drama," Topher explained bitterly. "A group of thieves who attack people in broad daylight and have horrible mottos."

"Our mottos are brilliant!" Max protested. "Leonard, destroy them."

Leonard shook his head. "Those aren't our orders and Sugar isn't even here. We need to find her first before we do something evil."

"You mean EVIL?"

"Yes Max, EVIL."

Cameron raised an eyebrow. "The ELOBC maintains political neutrality outside of Johto, so it doesn't really matter. Now if this Sugar person is still in the forest, would you like us to find her?"

"We're missing someone too," Topher added. "Her name's Ella. She's about your height, wears a princess dress, and sings a lot."

"Eevee's with her too," Sammy added, nervous about not having her starter Pokémon. Caterpie nuzzled against her neck,

"Follow me," Cameron said. He led the four through another hallway, Max and Topher still glaring at one another. He opened a door and inside the room was a large interweaving network of string. At the end of each strand of silk was a hollow wooden cylinder. In the center of the mess was female Bug Catcher. "These silk strands can transmit sound from one end to the other. Johto soldiers used this tactic during the War of Separation. We have them running throughout most of the forest in the highest trees. We use them to hear the Pokémon and people. If one of us runs into trouble, we find one and call for help. If we hear trouble, we go and investigate."

"Is that how you found us?" Topher asked.

Cameron nodded. "We heard the scuffles with that Beedrill. Seemed like it was quite a menace. Although with its Trainer, it probably had to be."

"You know Amy?" Sammy said in surprise.

Cameron snorted. "Who doesn't know her by now? I was anxious to help you at first, until I realize that you had no mole on your face. She entered the forest, terrified of anything that moved."

"Really? Wow, I thought she did everything so perfectly," Sammy admitted.

"Nobody starts out their journey perfect, especially not her. We offered her help, but she called us all nerds and refused. Then she tripped over a Kakuna and was chased by a Beedrill swarm." Sammy smiled at the idea. Cameron was laughing. "Anyway, let's find your friends." He looked at the other Bug Catcher. "Have you heard two young females recently?"

"Let me check," she replied, grabbing several canisters and holding them up to her ears. "I'm checking the ones closest to the path first." She listened again. "Yes, there's one female voice…and she's screaming in pain."

"Oh no!" Sammy gasped. "We have to go and see who it is. They could be in trouble!"

"And if it's Sugar?" Topher offered.

"Well she still doesn't deserve to get hurt." Max and Leonard also seemed concerned, at least for their teammate.

"We can mobilize a retrieval unit," Cameron promised. "Where's the noise coming from?"

"Just a little ways north of here," the Bug Catcher replied. She quickly marked on a map where it had come from. "Give this to Kisho." Cameron nodded and took the map. He ran out of the pagoda with the others on his heels. Kisho we have to go on a retrieval mission!"

A young man, a couple years older than Sammy and the others, was leading the group of Bug Catchers in their exercises. He had a wild mane of jet black hair and a fierce mantis-like Pokémon at his side. It was bipedal and insectoid, with its two forearms consisting mostly of large white scythes. A pair of wings and a smaller sub-pair twitched in unison. Most of its joints were covered in a spiky green shell. Sammy felt around and pulled out her PokéDex.

**Scyther, the Mantis Pokémon. It slashes through grass with its sharp scythes, moving too fast for the human eye to track.**

"What is it Cameron?" Kisho said in an unamused tone. He clearly wasn't happy that his morning exercises had been interrupted. "And who are they?"

"The Trainers we rescued," Cameron replied. Kisho's gaze softened, but it was still as serious as before. "Two of their friends are missing, and at least one is in trouble. Ayano gave us a map to where she is. We need to rescue her."

Kisho nodded. "Asao! Take over the morning exercises for me. Hozumi, Hideki, Futoshi, and Emiko; come with me. We must retrieve someone who is in trouble." Three male Bug Catchers, and one female quickly gathered in Kisho and the others. "Let's move out!" He checked the map and then began to charge in the correct direction. Everyone else followed.

As they reached the point, Kisho stopped them. "Remain quiet while I survey the area." He peered through the bushes. "I see a young girl, in a pink dress. She's hurt."

"Ella," Topher and Sammy said in unison, running out of hiding.

"Wait!" Cameron called out, but they were already on the scene. Ella was kneeling on the ground, static electricity moving through her body, preventing her from moving. Ponyta and Bulbasaur were standing protectively in front of her, blasting seeds and pellets of fire at a Pikachu. Sammy knew exactly what Pokémon it was, because Pikachus were practically the symbol of the Pokémon market. It was almost impossible to find a product that didn't have one stamped on the side or bottom.

"What's wrong with her?" Sammy asked as she helped Ella slowly to her feet.

"She's been paralyzed," Kisho explained. He pulled out a flask of red liquid and held it up to Ella's lips. "Cheri Berry extract." Movement spread across Ella's body as the paralysis wore off.

"Thank you," Ella said weakly, stretching out tense and sore muscles. "I was trying to befriend that Pikachu, but it hit me with a Thunder Wave before I could sing to it." The other four Bug Catchers sent out their Butterfree to subdue the Pikachu. The Electric-type quickly avoided the sleep-inducing powders and hit them all with Thunder Wave. "That Pikachu is quite a menace."

"Pikachu are a nuisance in general," Cameron said. "They're fast and their Electric typing gives them advantage over anything in the air. Lately they've been getting stronger and it's quite exhausting to keep dealing with them."

A Pokeball flew out from behind them, striking the surprised Pikachu in the face. It opened up and Pikachu disappeared inside. The ball fell to the ground. Shake, shake, shake. Click! The ball flew back into the hand of its owner.

"Howdy y'all!" Sugar said with a wave. "Can't believe I caught this here Pikachu for myself." Topher and Sammy groaned.

"Oh that was excellent Sugar," Ella complimented. "Congratulations."

Sugar raised an eyebrow. "Uh, don't you remember me bashing your head into a table?"

"Oh yes, but that doesn't matter because I'm better now." She reached out to hug Sugar, but the farmer girl just pushed her away.

"Have we got enough now Max?" Sugar asked.

"Yes, and this seems to be the strongest specimen yet," Max grinned. He pulled out a strange metal helmet that was shaped perfectly for a Pikachu's head and ears. "A Light Ball, three Cell Batteries, and a some Metal Coat to finish it off. It's my finest invention yet."

"What does it do?" Topher asked, as they all secretly reached for a PokeBall.

Max, completely oblivious to what everyone else was doing, explained the plan. "It gets put on a Pikachu's head and manipulates its brain to turn all emotions into pure EVIL! Then it does our bidding for us as its powers are amplified!"

"That's horrible," Sammy said.

Max shrugged. "It doesn't force the Pokemon to do anything it doesn't deep down, secretly want to do." He placed the helmet on Sugar's Pikachu and flipped the switch. It hummed and flashed and immediately Pikachu began to glare. "It worked! I mean, of course it did. And this Pikachu will lead our Pikachu army." He pulled out a remote and pressed a button. "Tremble before-"

"Enough of this," Kisho interrupted. "Scyther, attack!"

Scyther flew at Team Drama. Pikachu jumped out of the way used Thunder Wave. Even paralyzed, Scyther still moved with incredible speed. Sugar, Max, Leonard, and Pikachu barely avoided getting sliced at with the dull side of the scythes. Pikachu fired an intense bolt of lightning at Scyther, sending him to his knees.

"Team Drama Electro Mecha assemble!" Max called out. He threw a small metal cube into the air. It unfolded into a large metal bowl with propellers on the bottom. Team Drama and Pikachu jumped into the mecha and turned it on. Sammy could see a large glass tank full of wild Pikachus. Sugar's Pikachu seemed to be ordering them into a battle formation.

"Now that we know where yer little base is, we can go and claim it for Team Drama!" Sugar said excitedly. "Release the Pikachus!" They flew towards the pagoda, releasing the Pikachu's onto the cleared away ground.

"We have to go there at once," Kisho said. "Hideki, stay with our guests and keep them safe." He extended his butterfly net to the length of a large staff. He looked at Cameron. "This is a Code Infestation, I need  _all_ Bug Catchers on duty." Cameron gulped.

"Yes sir," he said as he clumsily extended his net. He looked at his new friends. "I'll try and stay close, but I have to help." He rushed off after Kisho and the others to defend the pagoda. Hideki was a shorter, yet silll intimidating Bug Catcher with flaming red hair. He stealthily led them around the side of the pagoda.

"Things might get dicey," he admitted. Ella, Topher, and Sammy stared at the battlefield. Bug Catchers were knocking away Pikachus left and right with their butterfly nets. Clouds of dust from the wings of Butterfree floated lazily above the fighting. Team Drama hovered above it all, blasting bolts of lightning at the pagoda. "And there's Cameron.

Cameron was doing a surprisingly good job. He may not have trained as much as the others, but he was holding his own as he batted away Pikachus and deflected blasts of electricity. They noticed a Kakuna was strapped to his back, which fired poison barbs and string at any Pikachus that tried to sneak up on Cameron. Also fighting near the healing Bug Catcher were a Butterfree and a strange teal pine-cone Pokemon. Sammy pulled out her PokeDex, but no information came up.

"That's a Pineco," Hideki explained. "Native to Johto, meaning your Kanto Dex won't register it. It's a Bug-type and Cameron's starter. They're pretty close." Pineco was spinning around, launching pin missiles at the Pikachus. "Look, I know you're out guests, but do you think you could help us?" A blast of lightning struck the roof of the pagoda. Hideki swore. "If that catches fire the whole thing burns down. I have to go!" He sent out his Butterfree and a Beedrill before rushing at the some Pikachus.

Topher sent out Squirtle and Rattata. "Well, we can't just leave and it wouldn't be fair to deprive the fans of such an awesome fight."

Sammy looked sadly at the camera on Topher's shoulder. "It shouldn't just be about  _The Topher Show_. They need our help." She sent out Eevee and Caterpie before running after Hideki.

"What's her problem?" Topher asked Ella, who sighed and shook her head before entering the pagoda to help those inside. Topher shrugged. "Women." He dashed off into the battlefield.

* * *

Sammy hadn't been in very many battles, unless you count the constant battle with Amy. So of course she was surprised at everything that went on. Bug Catchers deflected electricity and Pikachus left and right, gracefully moving in sync with their Pokemon. Even in their separate fights, they would never hesitate to assist a fellow warrior. Either by deflecting a surprise attack from behind, or spraying Cheri extract when needed.

"Eevee!" Sammy's starter cried as he shot a Shadow Ball at a Pikachu. Sammy felt more confident now that her best friend was back with her.

"Let's do this Eevee!" Sammy said bravely. Since she didn't have a net, it was only a matter of dodging the electric rodents and their attacks. Being skinny to the point of malnourished had its advantages as Sammy twirled and jumped to avoid getting hit. Pikachu's Static ability made physical contact a risk, so Eevee was really working his Shadow Ball. All that practicing was sure paying off. A Bug Catcher jumped in front of Sammy to block a Thunder Wave that would have hit her. He nodded before resuming the fight with his Weedle.

Team Drama loomed overhead with their mecha. "Eevee, aim at them and use Shadow Ball."

"Vee!" The blob of ectoplasm flew straight towards the mecha. Sugar smirked and released her Mankey. His claws extended as he attempted to use Fury Swipes to deflect. However, the attack passed straight through and the Shadow Ball struck his face. Mankey crashed to the ground.

"Aw fiddlesticks," Sugar grumbled. "Max, what happened to them surrendering to us immediately?"

"Apparently your loser-ness canceled out my EVIL," Max shot back. He pressed some more buttons and fired a blast of lightning at the roof of the pagoda. He smiled as it caught fire. "Excellent. Sugar, you're Pikachu is what's powering these electronic blasters. Only I probably could have picked a more EVIL specimen."

Topher looked up at the flaming rough. He nodded down at Squirtle. "Do your thing little buddy." Squirtle used Water Gun to put out the fire. The heavy clouds of powder from the Butterfree wings caught fire easily when exposed to the heat of electricity. Squirtle dashed across the battlefield putting out as many fires as he could. The Bug Catchers provided cover for him since getting hit with an Electric-type move would be brutal.

Rattata stayed with Topher near the back of the battle, rushing at Pikachus with Quick Attack or Bite. Being closer to the pagoda meant more Cheri Berries for the potential paralysis. Topher looked up and saw a cream colored Fighting-type jumped over Bug Catcher, knocking away any Bug-types in his path. "Oh no, Mankey!" Topher and Rattata stood in position. Sammy and Eevee were following Mankey, trying to slow him down with Shadow Balls and Sand-Attacks.

"Quick Attack," Topher said when Mankey got close. The Normal-type knocked the Pig Monkey Pokemon back so he could be hit with a Shadow Ball. Sammy and Eevee came to a stop in front of them. "I can handle Mankey," Topher promised. Sammy was covered in powder, her shirt had burns on it, and her hair was standing on end. It was probably the adrenaline rush that allowed her to nod in acceptance and sprint back towards the front lines in no time at all. Topher was surprised at how well she was handling this. She had seemed so fragile at the lab, as if a single rude tone would shatter her like glass.

"Mankey!" The screeching snapped Topher out of his thought. Mankey held Rattata in his hands and prepared to use Karate Chop. Rattata bit down on his hand, allowing room to squirm himself out of Mankey's grip. Farther away, Mr. Mime was up in the mecha blasting Psybeams at the Bug Catchers. Sammy was working hard to intercept them with Shadow Ball. Caterpie had taken up position on her wrists, switching from arm to arm whenever Sammy needed string shot in a certain direction.

Ella ducked as she was nearly hit by a Thunder Wave aimed at the pagoda window. She had gone inside to help the child Bug Catchers. Their young Caterpies and Weedles were using String Shot to support any parts of the pagoda damaged by the fighting. "You're all doing great!" Ella encouraged. A blue-haired Bug Catcher named Ayano ran down the stairs.

"We've got some problems," she explained. "Kids, I need you all to head to the safe rooms okay. Don't come out until one of us comes to get you. Stay in a line and behave. Kenji and Tatsumi should be in there waiting."

"What's wrong?" Ella asked in concern.

"Follow me," Ayano replied. They both ran up the stairs to a room with a large open window. Various levers and switches adorned the walls and floor. "This controls the base's defense systems. It's a bit out an ancient system, but it works wonderfully. The problem is the battle isn't in our favor right now." Ella saw that the Pikachu were advancing on the pagoda as they paralyzed Bug Catcher's and their Pokemon. "This lever right here should cure any paralysis out their, but I only want to use it when almost everyone is hit-" She slumped to the floor as a weak jolt of electricity hit her shoulder.

Max was laughing from the mecha. "And now for Thunder Wave level EVIL!" A large yellow pulse flew across the battlefield. Ella ducked behind a control panel to avoid getting hit. When she looked up, everyone fighting was frozen in place, save for the Pikachus. Ella quickly spotted Sammy and Topher, still in their fighting positions.

"Oh no!" Ella gasped as the mecha began to move towards the pagoda. She looked hesitantly at the lever Ayano had mentioned, pulled it anyway. There was the clicking of gears and a grinding noise.  _Please work..._ and it did.

Large paper fans snapped out of hidden panels and began to spin rapidly. Barrels of mysterious red powder fell from the room, breaking open. More powder was fired from secret trapdoors in the ground. The powder was blow by the fans all across the field. Slowly, everyone began to move again. Frowning, Ella gathered some of the powder on her finger and brought it to her lips. She grimaced at the familiar, spicy taste of Cheri berries. She gathered more dust and blew it in Ayano's face. The female Bug Catcher groaned as she got to her feet.

"Thanks, looks like you used it just in time," she grinned. "Now things are starting to look up. They definitely weren't expecting that." Team Drama was coughing out red dust as their mecha rocked back and forth in the air.

Sammy wasn't sure how she had made it up to the front lines, but before she knew it she was fighting near Kisho and Scyther. They were mirror images of each other, fighting back to back with blades and a butterfly net. Kisho jumped over near Sammy and took out three Pikachu. "We need to retreat inside!" He shouted over the cries of the battling. "We've got one final defense mechanism in all this but we can't have anyone outside!" He handed her a small scrap of paper. "Deliver this to Ayano on the top floor. She'll know what it means." Sammy took the paper and nodded. Eevee fired one last Shadow Ball at Mr. Mime before they dashed back to the pagoda.

Topher, who had finished knocking out Mankey, saw Sammy retreat and followed her. They both reached the top floor.

"Friends!" Ella cheered. "Shouldn't you be out fighting?"

"I have a message from Kisho," Sammy explained, handing Ayano the note. The bluenette scanned the paper, nodding, and flicked a switch. White banners with red Kakuna patterns on them flew high into the air. The other Bug Catchers saw this and immediately ran towards the pagoda. Sammy also noticed that any Pokemon capable of String Shot was making sure to stick at least one Pikachu to the ground before they left. Caterpie danced down her arm to the tip of her hand. He quickly tied down a Pikachu that was getting close to the front doors. Sammy patted him on the head. By the time everyone was inside, a thick cloud of powder covered the battlefield. No Pikachus were moving because they were trapped by the string.

"Where are they?!" Max snapped. "Did they surrender that easily?"

"It would appear so," Leonard observed. "Mr. Mime, do you sense anything?" Mr. Mime began to frantically wave his arms in a warning. "No, I suppose as an apprentice you wouldn't. Oh well, back to the Pokeball." He returned Mr. Mime before the Psychic/Fairy-type could protest.

Ayano began to sweat as she went through several combinations of pulls, flicks, and presses. "We need a Fire-type for this to work as well as we need it to," she said. Ella sent out her Ponyta. "All right, have him use Ember on the lantern in three..." she pulled the lever.

"What lantern?" Topher asked. As if on cue, a lantern was thrown by a mechanism into the cloud.

"Two..." As it reached it's peak it began to fall back into the smoke.

"One! Everyone get down!" Ponyta shot a small pellet of fire at the smoke before returning to her Pokeball. For a second, nothing happened. Then it turned to hell.

The cloud of smoke exploded as the oil in the lantern was lit! The fire quickly ravaged the cleared away field, just barely stopping short of the pagoda. Pikachus cried out as they were burnt by the flames. Team Drama was launched into the air, their mecha thoroughly charred.

"TEAM DRAMA'S BLASTING OFF...FOR THE FIRST TIME!" Ding!

After a few seconds, Ayano pulled a lever that released water in a similar fashion to the Cheri dust. The fires were quickly put out as everyone left the pagoda to survey the damage. The field was now covered in ash, littered with fainted Pikachus. Some of them seemed badly burnt but all were alive.

Kisho shook his head as he let some of the ash slip through his fingers. "It's never had to come to that before. It's a shame, really." Ella knelt down near a Pikachu. "Don't worry, for the next month we'll be doing nothing but nursing the Pikachus of Viridian Forest back to health and then releasing them. We'll also need to rebuild the base, but thankfully it wasn't too badly damaged."

"There's another good thing," Cameron spoke up. "The ash will make great fertilizer for the gardens, and we can even plant thick shrubs to act as another means of defense." Kisho nodded proudly.

He turned to Sammy, Topher, and Ella. "I want to thank you for helping us. It was an honor having you three as our guests."

Sammy blushed, and bowed. "And thank you for rescuing me- I mean us," she glanced at Topher.

"It was no trouble at all. So I take it this means you'll be heading to Pewter City then?"

"If we can find our way out," Topher laughed. Kisho thought for a moment.

"Cameron! How would you like to show them to Pewter City?"

"I'd love to!" Cameron said, perhaps a bit too excited.

Kisho smiled. "Then it's settled. I actually have a message for you to deliver to the Gym Leader in Pewter City anyway," he revealed, handing Cameron a scroll. "It's nothing too urgent, so feel free to spend some time in the city."

"Thank you sir!"

Kisho nodded towards Ayano, who held out three silk bags. "I noticed you had no bags for items, so you can have these. They contain fresh berries, some Net Balls, and Silver Powder. Add that to a Bug-types food and its power will increase." Sammy grinned at her Caterpie.

"Thank you so much!" Ella giggled. "Oh my, it's getting dark. I don't know if I'd like being in the forest so late."

Cameron had an idea. "You guys can stay here!"

Kisho shrugged. "It's fine with me. We always have room for guests. You can stay the night and have Cameron leave with you in the morning." The trio sighed with relief. "Now come inside, we have a victory celebration to attend to." The Bug Catchers cheered and went inside the pagoda. Sammy, Ella, and Topher stood outside a little longer.

"That was..." Topher began, but couldn't find the words.

"...amazing!" Sammy finished, out of breath. The adrenaline was wearing off.

"We should hurry," Ella urged. "Or we may miss the party!" She twirled around before dancing through the front door.

Topher and Sammy walked up the stairs to the pagoda. Sammy looked at Topher with a frown. "You were filming that whole time, weren't you?"

"Yeah, couldn't afford to waste something like that." Sammy looked down at the ground. "But you know what...I think the batteries kind of low." Sammy looked back up. Topher flipped down the camera and turned it off. "No need to record a battle  _and_ a party. Of course there's a good chance the whole fight scene thing got deleted by...'accident'." Sammy smiled to herself as they both went into the pagoda. Maybe Topher wasn't completely clueless after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No preview guys, I want it to be a surprise from now on. Finished this seven minutes after midnight, so it's the first chapter of 2015. Woo! Thanks so much for reading guys, it means a lot.


End file.
